91´«Ã½

“Diedre Conkling has been the linchpin that holds together the collective women’s groups in 91´«Ã½, including WGSS, the Feminist Task Force (FTF), the Committee on the Status of Women in Librarianship (COSWL), and the Library Leadership and Management Association (LLAMA) Women Administrator’s Discussion Group,” said award chair Dolores Fidishun, head librarian at Penn State Abington. “Over the years, as the coordinator of FTF, she has partnered with chairs of WGSS and COSWL to plan and present the annual Introduction to Women’s Issues program.”

“As a longtime member of 91´«Ã½ Council and the Social Responsibilities Round Table (SRRT), Conkling has continuously brought women’s issues to the forefront of our organization,” continued Fidishun. “She has served as an inspiration and mentor to many of us in the association. Through her activism she has demonstrated the power of women’s voices in 91´«Ã½ and in the world, always asking the important questions and looking for ways to move women’s agendas forward in 91´«Ã½.”

“As one nominator wrote, ‘In whatever position she held at the moment – COSWL chair, FTF coordinator, SRRT coordinator, or simply committed librarian – she worked to bring together academic, public, school, and other librarians and library workers who shared a desire to focus on women’s issues in 91´«Ã½ and in libraries,’” said Fidishun. “For her leadership in bringing light to women’s and gender issues in our profession, we are proud to honor her with the WGSS Career Achievement Award.”