TLA GODORT/MARCIVE "Knowledge is Power" Award
Melody Kelly
A popular Government, without popular information, or the means of acquiring it, is but a Prologue to a Farce or a Tragedy; or, perhaps both. Knowledge will forever govern ignorance: And a people who mean to be their own Governours, must arm themselves with the power which knowledge gives. -- James Madison
Acceptance Remarks April 13, 2000
I am honored to be the first recipient of the "Knowledge is Power Award" given by our own Round Table and the very supportive MARCIVE Company.
"Knowledge is Power" is a motto that I firmly support. As Documents Librarians it is our obligation to share our knowledge of government information to educate and empower others.
Throughout my career I've been blessed with role models willing to share their own knowledge with me. Margaret Nichols, whom many of you know, has a very strong public service ethic. She inspired me while I was in her classes and encouraged me in my writing projects. And Velma Lea Cathey, the Documents Librarian at UNT for 20 years taught my government information class in 1973 and later shared her love of documents and her expertise with me when I joined the UNT Documents Department in 1974.
And now I am blessed with a wonderful group of colleagues in my own UNT Documents Department. They are always willing to seize an opportunity to share government information with our clientele. In 1989 we worked with the MARCIVE Company to do a retrospective cataloging project that added over 180,000 document records to our libraries' online catalog. And we can all testify that "If you build it, they will come!" Upon completing this project, our collection immediately became a high use area for researchers needing the latest information on current issues. Now our stacks always have that "lived in look."
Then in 1994 when faced with the chaos of the Internet and the need to organize and preserve electronic government information, the group's response was a Mickey Rooney and Judy Garland solution -
"Why don't we put up a web site? Jane can do the design. Bobby and Nancy can organize the menus and create subject lists. Andrea, Betty, Clarice and Mel can pick out great sites for web pages and Cathy can direct. And we can use the Libraries' server as a stage and the Dean can provide the equipment and funding. Hey! Maybe we can be a partner with the Government Printing Office or even state agencies. And we can call it the Government Information Connection!"
And so that is why I am here today accepting this award. Because of the example of others, the support and dedication of my UNT Documents Department colleagues and the encouragement of our Dean, Dr. Grose, who wants us all to be risk takers and reach out to embrace change and our future.
Thank you
