Colleagues:
I am incredibly dismayed and disheartened to hear that the Executive Board (in concert with the chairs of the Awards and Wittenborn committees) has decided that the winner of the George Wittenborn Memorial Award will no longer be announced at the Convocation. I find no merit or substance in any of the reasons. I never saw an author or publisher caught in an awkward moment at the conference. The winning publisher would usually display a copy of the winning book on his table in the most prominent spot, and proudly highlight the award-winning book following the announcement. The arrival of author at the convocation was usually the clue to the mystery. Since the deliberations for the awards are usually made well in advance of the conference, how difficult is it to have the review copy brought to the conference and put on display? Not very difficult one would think – and this is my perspective as a former Wittenborn Committee member- one of the more challenging and stimulating committees of the Society
This is the sole prestigious award given by the Society that is regularly announced in major art journals and publications and is mentioned in the press of other societies. While our other awards, like Distinguished Service or Travel, are important to us as a profession, the Wittenborn award has importance and meaning to the art world. To casually announce the winner of the Wittenborn Award on a discussion list or post to a website robs it of its prestige and deflects the honor from its author and publisher.
Gregory P. J. Most
Chief, Library Image Collections
National Gallery of Art
Washington, DC
-----Original Message-----
From: ART LIBRARIES SOCIETY DISCUSSION LIST [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of Wilson, Terrie
Sent: Tuesday, March 13, 2007 1:51 PM
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: [ARLIS-L] George Wittenborn Memorial Book Award
Colleagues,
After discussions with the ARLIS/NA Awards Committee chair, the Executive Board, and the current Wittenborn Award Committee, it has been decided that the Wittenborn Award winners will now be announced pre-conference. This is a break with past tradition when the award winners were kept confidential until the conference convocation. This tradition left little time for the winning publications to be on display in the exhibits hall. There were also some awkward moments for winning authors or publishers who attended the entire conference but could not disclose why they were really there!
If you wish to preserve the element of surprise, read no further! Either way, please try to attend the conference convocation on Sunday, April 29th, to hear and see a substantive presentation honoring the award-winning texts.
On behalf of the 2006-2007 George Wittenborn Memorial Book Award Committee, it is my honor to announce the winners of the award:
Prayers and Portraits: Unfolding the Netherlandish Diptych. John Oliver Hand, Catherine A. Metzger, Ron Spronk. National Gallery of Art, Washington; Koninklijk Museum voor Schone Kunsten, Antwerp, in association with Harvard University Art Museums, Cambridge, and Yale University Press, New Haven and London.
American Indian Horse Masks. Michael Cowdry and Ned & Jody Martin. Hawk Hill Press, Nicasio, California.
Please stop by the exhibits hall during the conference to view these marvelous, award-winning publications. Congratulations to all those involved in their creation and production!
Terrie L. Wilson
Chair, George Wittenborn Memorial Book Award Committee
Michigan State University
Fine Arts Library
100 Library
East Lansing, MI 48824
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