UA School of Library and Information Studies Honors Distinguished Alumnus

TUSCALOOSA, Ala. – Dr. Jerry W. Stephens, librarian and director of the Mervyn H. Sterne Library at the University of Alabama at Birmingham, has been selected to receive the 2008 Distinguished Alumni Award from The University of Alabama School of Library and Information Studies.

Stephens was one of the founders of the Network of Alabama Academic Libraries, the first statewide library consortium to treat public and nonprofit private institutions as equal partners in the delivery of library services. Stephens also led the way to the implementation of the Alabama Virtual Library. AVL brings diverse and extensive electronic library resources to Alabama residents.

Stephens has been a member of several boards, councils and committees, including those of the Southeastern Library Network, the Online Computer Library Center, the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools and the Library Service Construction Act Advisory Council for the Alabama Public Library Service. Earlier this year, he received the Significant Contribution Award from the Alabama Association of College & Research Libraries.

Stephens received a bachelor’s degree in accounting in 1974 and an M.B.A. in 1976 from the University of Alabama at Birmingham. He received the Master of Library Science in 1977 and a doctorate in higher education administration in 1982 from The University of Alabama.

Each year the Library School Association, representing SLIS alumni, bestows the Distinguished Alumni Award to recognize SLIS alumni who have made outstanding contributions to the library, information, media or book arts fields.

The School of Library and Information Studies in the UA College of Communication and Information Sciences houses Alabama’s only library education program accredited by the American Library Association. The School offers both a Master of Library and Information Studies and a Master of Fine Arts in the book arts.