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Simmons Library School Professor Named National Academic/Research Librarian of the Year

BOSTON (February 19, 2008) — A Simmons College professor whose research over 30 years sheds light on library service quality and satisfaction, government information, leadership, and research as an inquiry process, has been named the 2008 national Academic/Research Librarian of the Year by the Association of College and Research Libraries.

The association, a division of the American Library Association, said the body of work done by professor Peter Hernon at the Simmons College Graduate School of Library and Information Science spurred libraries around the nation to improve their services.

Hernon has written extensively on improving library services and leadership, and is the author of more than 270 publications, including "Assessing Service Quality: Satisfying the Expectations of Library Customers," which won the Highsmith Library Literature Award. He is co-editor of "Making a Difference: Leadership and Academic Libraries" with Simmons assistant professor Nancy Rossiter. His latest co-authored work is "Academic Librarians as Emotionally Intelligent Leaders."

"He informs us and helps us to face the challenges that lie ahead. He helps us to determine the role of libraries and librarians in the future," said award committee chair Cynthia Steinhoff in the association's announcement.

Hernon is currently lead professor in a new doctoral program at the Simmons Graduate School of Library and Information Science on managerial leadership in the information professions. He is also the founding editor of "Government Information Quarterly," a journal that presents refereed research, analysis and discussion of current government policies and practices, and co-editor of "Library & Information Science Research," a quarterly journal published by Elsevier. He has traveled and lectured extensively in countries such as New Zealand, Great Britain, Canada, Finland, Portugal, Spain and South Africa.

The Simmons Graduate School of Library and Information Science was established in 1902 and today is one of the oldest and largest graduate schools of library science in North America. The school has more than 9,000 alumni in library and information science positions around the world. Simmons College is a nationally recognized private university located in the heart of Boston.