NCSU Libraries Focus Online

Volume 23 number 1 - Fall 2002

By Nancy Vaupel, Scholarly Communication and External Relations

Congratulations go to Orion Pozo, engineering collection manager at the NCSU Libraries. On June 18, 2002, he received the Homer I. Bernhardt Distinguished Service Award from the Engineering Libraries Division (ELD) of the American Society for Engineering Education (ASEE). This award is given in recognition of a person whose work has contributed to the advancement and development of excellence in engineering libraries. Pozo is seen as a significant contributor to the profession who, without a lot of fanfare, is always doing things in support of the organization.

The award was given at the ASEE annual conference in Montreal, Canada. Linda Martinez (Duke Libraries), head of the ELD Awards Committee, presented Pozo with a plaque. Pozo acknowledges he was greatly moved when his colleagues chose him for the award, and he became nearly speechless during the ceremony as Martinez highlighted his education, reviewed the various library positions he has held, and honored his achievements. It was "one of the most moving experiences" of his career.

According to Martinez, "[Pozo] began as a mathematician/philosopher and has worked as both a cataloger and reference librarian. This combination of interests and experiences explains his various projects. For example, Orion the public service librarian organized the first meeting of North Carolina university engineering librarians. . . . Orion the technical services librarian created and has coordinated ELD's Duplicates Exchange Program for the last ten years."

Pozo believes that his work with the ELD Duplicates Exchange Program is the main reason he received the award. When he started the program in 1990, he made innovative use of the Internet to support the project. Today, the service links more than 150 members wanting to acquire material on exchange. About four years ago, he embellished the ELD program by identifying engineering material from the larger Backserv Exchange group (with close to 500 members) and adding it to the ELD list. Pozo spends about twenty minutes each day keeping the lists up-to-date, and he is pleased to continue this work on behalf of the ELD community. Pozo feels that ELD may also deserve some credit for his achievement. He says, "the division creates opportunities for its members."

Pozo has been active in ELD for thirteen years, participating in ASEE conferences as an attendee, moderator, and presenter, in addition to being the Duplicates Exchange innovator.