2000 SLA Hall of Fame

Jo Anne Boorkman

This year, the SLA Board of Directors selected former Biomedical And Life Sciences Division chair, Jo Anne Boorkman, for "her deep and enduring commitment to the field of special librarianship, strong interest in alerting members to issues and trends of concern to them and for superior service to the profession and to the Association." At the SLA Business Meeting in Philadelphia, SLA President Susan DiMattia read the following tribute:

"Jo Anne Boorkman is Head of the Loren D. Carlson Health Sciences Library at the University of California at Davis. A member of SLA for 29 years, Jo Anne has demonstrated her ability to innovate and promote our profession through her service to SLA, the Medical Library Association, and numerous local, state, and regional library organizations. Her work in the Biomedical and Life Sciences Division of SLA has benefitted the members of that division and of the Association as a whole, for she has always looked for new and creative ways to improve the programs and services offered to her fellow members. She is a founding member of the Medical Section of the Biomedical and Life Sciences Division; and served as Chair of the division and on its board from 1992 to 1995. During her time as Division Chair, she championed the division's first contributed papers session at the 1994 Annual Conference. Jo Anne also has served for several years simultaneously as the division liaison to the Medical Library Association AND as the MLA representative to the Division.

"She has also given a great deal of time to the Sierra Nevada Chapter, serving on the board and as president from 1996 to 1999. During this time, she established a strategic planning process for the Chapter, codified the awards process, overhauled its by-laws, and updated its procedures manual. She previously served as Treasurer of that chapter in 1995 and 1996, and also as secretary of the North Carolina Chapter from 1980 to 1983.

"Jo Anne's professional career is full of highlights. She and fellow member Fred Roper have authored and edited three editions of the Introduction to Reference Sources in the Health Sciences, and is planning a fourth edition. She has also served on the editorial board of Medical Reference Services Quarterly.

"Her peers see her as a professional and very capable leader, and we couldn't agree more. Congratulations, Jo Anne!"

Rev. July 2007