University News

WIU's Zellmer Wins Distinguished Service Award

September 25, 2017

Share |
Printer friendly version

MACOMB, IL – Western Illinois University Associate Professor of Libraries Linda Zellmer has been chosen as the 2017 recipient of the Mary B. Ansari Distinguished Service Award from the Geoscience Information Society (GSIS).

The award recognizes significant contributions to the field of geoscience information, and will be presented at the GSIS luncheon during the organization's annual meeting in Seattle, WA in October. 

Zellmer has been the government information and data services librarian at WIU since 2008, and she serves as the Libraries' liaison to several science departments on campus.

Prior to coming to Western, Zellmer was the head of the geology library at Indiana University, and has held previous positions at Arizona State University, the University of Wyoming and Oklahoma State University. Her research interests include access to geographic and geological information maps and Geographic Information Systems in libraries. 

"Linda is well deserving of this award," said WIU Dean of University Libraries Michael Lorenzen. "She is dedicated to helping patrons at Western and from the community, and is one of the more respected, and probably the most accomplished, map librarians in the United States."

Zellmer has served on the GSIS Publications Advisory Committee and Microforms Subcommittee, and as chair of the Geonet-L Advisory Board, the Electronic Resources Committee; and as GSIS president in 2003. She maintains an active role by serving as the chair of the organization's exhibits committee and as instructor for Geoscience Librarianship 101 since its creation. 

The Geoscience Information Society (GSIS) works to improve access to, and availability of, information related to the geosciences, including geology, paleontology, hydrology and natural hazards. The GSIS meets every year with the Geological Society of America, an international organization that is one of the oldest geological organizations in the United States.

"I always look forward to going to the GSIS meetings because it gives me an opportunity to learn about the activities of other science librarians, in addition to learning more about geology," said Zellmer. "Teaching about maps at the Geoscience Librarianship workshops lets me share my knowledge about maps and geospatial information with other librarians. I also learn something about the geology of other areas of North America because I update my talk each year to show maps and publications on the location where the meeting is being held. I am honored to receive this award."

Zellmer has published numerous academic journal articles in the geosciences arena. She is also a member of the American Library Association, the Association of College Research Libraries, Special Libraries Association, Geoscience Information Society and the Western Association of Map Libraries. 

For more information about WIU Libraries, visit wiu.edu/libraries.
 
 


Posted By: University Communications (U-Communications@wiu.edu)
Office of University Communications & Marketing