Williams, Dr. Delmus Endowed Award
The Dr. Delmus Williams Endowed Award was established in 2024 by family and friends of Dr. Williams to honor his memory and legacy with The University of Akron Libraries. Dr. Williams retired from the University Libraries in 2010 after dedicating 18 years of service, including 13 years as dean. During his term as dean, he was integral in seeing several initiatives through to completion, including establishing faculty status for librarians, participating in the planning committees for the formation of OhioLINK, and integrating The University of Akron Press into the University Libraries. He also arranged cultural exchange visits to University Libraries by Thai librarians from Chulalongkorn University and Sukhothai Thammathirat Open University. In 1999, he attracted Dr. David Baker to oversee the Poppelstone-McPhearson Archives of the History of American Psychology, which Baker developed into today's Cummings Center for the History of Psychology, a free-standing, Smithsonian-affiliated museum and allied academic centers.
Williams was an active writer and editor, co-editing 15 volumes of Advances in Library Administration and Organization and a festschrift titled For the Good of the Order: Essays in Honor of Edward G. Holley. Most recently, he helped conceived and contributed to Hail We Akron! The Third 50 Years of the University of Akron, 1970-2020 for the University's sesquicentennial. He was renowned for his support and mentorship, encouraging others to write and publish in the field of librarianship. He also had a passion for traveling and visiting the world. One of his favorite adventures was teaching in Lithuania as a Fulbright fellow. Williams appreciated a good story as much as he enjoyed telling them.
Recipients of The Dr. Delmus Williams Endowed Award shall be faculty or staff of University Libraries, and funds may be used to support professional development, research, or any other professional activity beneficial to advancing the profession and building capacity within the library. Recipients shall be selected by the Dean of University Libraries or their designee.
To make a tax-deductible gift to this award, please visit °µºÚ±¬ÁÏ’s . Select “A different designation” from the drop-down menu and enter “Delmus Williams Award” in the text box. Thank you!
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