2000 Distinguished Member Award

Renee B. Bush

Renee Bush has served the Biomedical and Life Sciences Division and the library profession in a variety of ways. A member of the division since 1981, she's been chair, program planner, program speaker, member of several committees, student group advisor, and more. She is serving a term on IFLA. While the extent of her participation in division activities is considerable, the quality of her contributions is also notable. She never agrees to accept a position in the division without careful consideration of her own skills, interests, and time constraints. This is because she wants to make an active contribution in whatever area she serves-she has never been a nominal committee member.

Both in the profession and in the division, she is a true mentor. One division member affirms, "I know this firsthand, having worked as her student assistant and benefited over the years from her advice and support. And I know others who have likewise profited from her help. She is responsible for my involvement in the BLSD and was of great assistance when I was division program chair for the 1997 annual conference. She is always available as a sounding board for ideas, providing honest, straightforward feedback. Like her own work in the division, her recruitment of new members extends beyond adding their names to the membership roster. She strives to make a meaningful experience for them by encouraging their involvement. She's well aware that new, active members with fresh ideas are key to the viability of the division."

In addition to her work in BLSD, Renee has made an ongoing contribution to the professional literature, particularly in the area of biomaterials-related information. She has published bibliographies on this interdisciplinary field in both library and scientific journals, thus maximizing the opportunity for interested researchers and librarians to locate the diverse resources found in this body of literature.

Whether it's committee work, mentoring, writing or simply brainstorming, Renee's contributions are of a quality that reflect her interest in the success of the BLSD.

Rev. November 22, 2002