TLA GODORT/MARCIVE "Knowledge is Power" Award
Tom Rohrig
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
"Knowledge is Power" Award Recipient for 2001
The TLA GODORT Awards Committee and MARCIVE, Inc. are pleased to announce Mr. Tom Rohrig as the recipient of the TLA GODORT/MARCIVE "Knowledge is Power" Award for 2001. This award honors an individual recognized by his or her peers as being an active supporter and advocate for the use of government information in education, research, and/or commerce. The award is supported by a $400 contribution by Marcive, Inc.
Mr. Rohrig has over 20 years experience with government documents at Texas Tech University. During this time he has demonstrated his leadership abilities by rising from his initial job as Information Access Librarian to his current position as Assistant Head of Information Services for Government Documents and Maps. As the regional depository for the northern half of Texas, Texas Tech under the guidance of Mr. Rohrig, serves not only the local community but also 25 selective depositories in its territory.
Mr. Rohrig has been a tireless advocate for government information, working to promote documents in the local, regional, and state levels. He gives regular demonstrations of government web sites and printed documents to the Texas Tech staff to keep them informed of new resources. He has presented several workshops to local and regional groups: "Business Reference Sources for Small and Medium-Sized Libraries" for the West Texas Library System and "Getting to the Heart of Lubbock: Local Information Sources" for TLA District 9. A believer in continuing education, Mr. Rohrig not only has attended many professional conferences himself but shares that opportunity with others by bring in representatives from federal agencies to conduct in-house and regional seminars. These activities have raised awareness of government information among many communities that otherwise would not have such a chance.
Mr. Rohrig is very active in TLA, being a member of the Government Documents Round Table since 1981. He has served tirelessly as an officer, committee member, and conference presenter over the years and has been active in the district and national arenas. A core member of the TLA GODORT Electronic Resources Committee and of the State Plan for Texas Documents Committee, he is working to establish policies for the management and protection of electronic information and for the coordination and promotion of resource sharing among depository libraries.
Service is at the heart of Mr. Rohrig's philosophy. As one of his colleagues writes, "He is patient and thoughtful and will work tirelessly to resolve a question for any patron". He works with students, citizens from the community, and librarians from the selectives with equal consideration and dedication. It is a tribute to him that he shares the respect of library user and library professional alike.
For his advocacy of government documents, for his service, and for his dedication to patrons and community, TLA GODORT and Marcive, Inc. are pleased to present this award to Mr. Tom Rohrig.
