Lapis Cohen, Library Specialist (Resource Sharing), University of Pennsylvania, Van Pelt Library, Selected for the STARS Virginia Boucher Distinguished ILL Librarian Award sponsored by OCLC
“In such fractious and slippery times what better place to be than amidst the community of generosity and mutual aid that is the resource sharing collective – a global group of practitioners (professional and erstwhile amateur) dedicated to providing information, in all its forms, where it is most needed. The core value is in the appellation itself, Resource Sharing (perhaps you can, sometimes, judge a book by its cover).
Sharing not merely with the rich and privileged who have the wherewithal to purchase, but also with the underserved, at-risk and in-need. Aiding not just their own co-workers and local patrons, but justly aiding colleagues and their patrons beyond borders and around the world.
Recently I received some “What’s More Punk Than Interlibrary Loan?” stickers (thanx Silvia Cho, CUNY Grad!), which seem especially apropos in regard to the Virginia Boucher Award – and after all, what is more punk than helping people?” – Lapis Cohen
“Lapis Cohen’s decades-long career in resource sharing has brought so much value to our community. He is innovative and forward-thinking, and his numerous publications, presentations, and projects have international reach. We are thrilled to honor Lapis with this year’s Boucher Award.” – Award Committee Statement
Lapis Cohen has worked in resource sharing/interlibrary loan for three decades and he has made a tremendous impact on both RUSA and the resource sharing community. Lapis is a frequent presenter at conferences and workshops, and he has published several articles on various aspects of interlibrary loan throughout his career. He has a distinguished record of service to RUSA STARS, including as chair of the International ILL Committee. He actively contributes to other groups such as the Ivy Plus Libraries Confederation and the OCLC Research Library Partnership SHARES consortium. His innovative approach to his work and his willingness to share with his colleagues is a cornerstone of his contributions to the profession. He is both visionary and practical, always willing to translate big ideas into actionable processes and improvements for practitioners. Lapis’s most recent project, in collaboration with the OCLC Research Library Partnership SHARES Consortium and the IFLA Document Delivery and Resource Sharing Section’s RSCVD project, is the International ILL Toolkit (https://www.ala.org/rusa/sections/stars/section/internationill/toolkit). The toolkit has done groundbreaking work to break down barriers in global resource sharing and to promote easier collaboration between international libraries.
As an award winner, the winner will receive a $2,000 monetary award sponsored by OCLC and a certificate of appreciation.
“OCLC is proud to support the Virginia Boucher Distinguished ILL Librarian Award, and we’re thrilled to congratulate Lapis Cohen as this year’s recipient. His decades of dedication to resource sharing, impactful publications and presentations, and substantial contributions to the SHARES resource sharing consortium have profoundly shaped the field. The OCLC resource sharing network is a global community of thousands of libraries working together to provide seamless access to library materials. On behalf of the resource sharing community, thank you, Lapis, for your outstanding commitment to advancing interlibrary loan services worldwide.” – OCLC
The STARS Award and Recognition Committee was Chaired by Megan Gaffney.