The San Francisco Bay Region Chapter's annual
Professional Achievement Award recognizes a member who has made notable and
enduring contributions to the Chapter and the profession. Join me in
congratulating Rita Evans, our 2005 recipient.
A positive force in our chapter and an enthusiastic mentor to many of
our members, Rita is a natural leader, an invaluable team-player, and an
author/editor-extraordinaire!
“You have no idea how much this means to me,” Rita
said on being told of her award. “To be chosen by my peers in this outstanding
chapter is simply wonderful! I remember being terrified going to my first few
chapter events because I didn’t know anyone, but Beth Edelstein, Tim DeWolf,
Cris Campbell, Marie Tilson, Jean Sansobrino, Linda Vida, and many, many others
welcomed and mentored me. I’ve tried to follow their example in reaching out to
new members and I treasure the enduring friendships I’ve made through SLA.”
Active in SLA for 27 years and with the San Francisco
Bay Region Chapter since 1986, Rita was Chapter President from 1997 to 1998.
During her tenure she revamped committees and initiated the annual Past
Presidents Dinner. She has also chaired the Tours, Public Relations and
Strategic Planning committees and served on the Professional Development,
Program and Web committees.
In 1992, Rita began a three-year stint as Bayline
editor. “While producing the bulletin sometimes had me in tears the night
before a deadline, as with every commitment I’ve made to the chapter, I
certainly got back as much as I gave. It was great producing a tangible product
every two months. And anyone who knows me knows how I love to expound on topics
great and small; writing 40 pieces for Bayline between 1988 and 1996 let
me do that.”
On the division level in SLA, Rita was one of the
founders and the second Convener of the Solo Librarians Caucus, now one of the
association’s larger divisions. Rita joined the Transportation Division in
2002, edited its newsletter from 2002 to 2003 and was elected a division board
member as Secretary/Treasurer in 2003.
After almost 25 years in corporate libraries at Gulf
Oil, Westinghouse and Dolby Laboratories, in 2001 Rita became Reference
Librarian at the University of California, Berkeley’s Institute of
Transportation Studies Library.
Away from work, Rita’s idea of a perfect day includes
hiking on Mount Tamalpais and listening to the SF Giants on the radio while
gardening. Her leisure reading tends towards short stories, natural history and
the history of technology, and “I never, ever miss an issue of Sports
Illustrated.” As the Right Reverend
Rita (aka the Reverend Champagne), she designs and officiates at
one-of-a-kind wedding ceremonies.
You’re one-of-a-kind yourself, Rita. Thank you for all you have done for us.
Beth Graham
Chair, Award Committee 2004-2005