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The recipient of the 2009 Bernadine Abbott Hoduski Award is Eleanor Chase, Head of the Government Publications Department at the University of Washington Libraries. This award recognizes Ms. Chase’s significant contributions to the field of state, local and federal documents.

For more than 30 years Ms. Chase has served the citizens of Washington beginning in 1976 when she became the International Documents Librarian. In 1981 she accepted the appointment as Head of the Government Publications Department and assumed the role of U.S. Documents Librarian. Ms. Chase is an expert in all government information, and often colleagues refer their toughest questions to her. Ms. Chase has been referred to as the “go to” person for GIS expertise in the University of Washington Libraries, having served as Principal Investigator for the Libraries in the Association of Research Libraries Geographic Information System Literacy Project (1992-1997). A supporter noted, “what stands out in Eleanor’s career is her unflagging and passionate commitment to user-centered service and the right of all citizens to free access to government information.”

Ms. Chase has been active in GODORT, having served on the Steering Committee from 1978-1985 and again in 1991-1992, and has also served in the Federal and International Documents Task Forces. Ms. Chase has also been involved with the Association of Public Data Users and the 2000 Census Committee. Her understanding of the Census is legendary in the state and region. At the state level, Ms. Chase has served on the Steering Committee of the Washington State Data Center since 1988 and the Washington State Library Coordinating Committee for a State Documents Plan (1984-1995).

In the state of Washington she has been referred to as the matriarch of all things documents. Ms. Chase’s nomination letter noted “Her colleagues warmly refer to the dozens of librarians and graduate students who keep in touch with her as the "Eleanor Chase Alumni Society.” She has taught the government publications class in the University of Washington Information School and has mentored countless graduate students in librarianship and other disciplines. One of the traits she shares with Bernadine Abbott-Hoduski is her natural skill of lobbying for resources. Ms. Chase represents the best of our profession, modeling leadership, service, creativity, and innovation, particularly in promoting and facilitating the use of government publications. In recognition of her contributions to state and local documents librarianship and to the community of documents librarians, GODORT is proud to present this award to Eleanor Chase.