Sandee McAninch first recipient of the Paul A. Willis Award

At this year’s UK Libraries Annual Dinner on April 19^th, Sandee McAninch will receive the inaugural Paul A. Willis Outstanding Faculty Award.

McAninch began her career at UK in 1983 as Head of the Government Publications and Maps Department.  With online access still years into the future, McAninch provided research access to a complex collection for scholars across the campus and beyond. 

In 1994, as Head of Research and Information Services, McAninch organized the merger of the Reference and Government Publications/Maps department.  In 1998 she assisted with the intricate planning and implementation of moving the government documents collection from Margaret I. King Library to the William T. Young Library.

McAninch has been the Regional Depository Librarian and Head of the Federal Depository Unit within the UK Libraries since 2005.  In addition to her primary faculty responsibilities, coordination of statewide Federal Depository services, and representation of the commonwealth at the national Federal Depository Library Conferences, McAninch actively participates in national efforts to shape the future of the Federal Depository Services at a regional and national level.

Most recently, as Regional Depository Librarian, McAninch worked with the Association of Southeastern Research Libraries (ASERL) to conceive, plan, and implement the successful ASERL Collaborative Federal Depository Program’s Centers of Excellence model, overseeing UK Libraries participation in an ASERL/IMLS grant project intended to pilot the model and create tools and workflows appropriate to the region-based collaborative collection development initiative advanced by ASERL and institutions across the Southeast region. 

McAninch took a leadership role in the regional effort to plan and implement the ASERL model, but also guided other Kentucky federal depository libraries through the adoption of new workflows and database tools to allow participation in the COE model and improve disposition tools and procedures among Kentucky institutions.

In 2010, McAninch’s professional accomplishments and prominent national standing in government documents received special recognition.  She was awarded the James Bennett Childs Award by the American Library Association’s Government Documents Round Table.  The award pays tribute to an individual whose stature, service, and publications record constitute a significant lifetime contribution to the field of government information librarianship.

McAninch has demonstrated sustained excellence in all aspects of her work.  She is a leader within the commonwealth, the region, and nationally as well as a mentor and role model for our newer faculty. 

The Outstanding Faculty Award is named in honor of Paul A. Willis who served as Director of UK Libraries for three decades.  He earned a B.A. and a law degree from UK and a master’s degree in Library and Information Science from the University of Maryland.  

Willis worked as a cataloger at the Library of Congress before joining UK Libraries.  He served as Circulation Librarian and then Director of the Law Library before becoming Director of UK Libraries in 1973 and serving until 2003.  He completed his career as Dean of Libraries at the University of South Carolina from 2004 until his retirement in 2007.

 During his career at the University of Kentucky he created the Information Alliance consortium, planned the construction of the William T. Young Library, and expanded UK Libraries collections and services. He was a member of ASERL (Association of Southeastern Research Libraries), SOLINET, and the Association of Research Libraries, for which he served on the Board of Directors for three years.

For Annual Dinner reservations please contact Sherree Osborne at 859.218.1088 or e-mail sosbo3@uky.edu.