The Second Annual
Gale Group Murray Wortzel Award

Michael Kolakowski, Librarian in the Government and Finance Division in the Congressional Research Service, Library of Congress, received the Gale Group Murray Wortzel Award at the International Reception, sponsored by the Social Science Division and the European Chapter, at the Special Libraries Association annual conference in New York City on June 7, 2003.

The Gale Group Murray Wortzel Award honors Murray Wortzel, a long-time leader in the Social Science Division - chair of the Division, archivist, member of numerous committees, and very active in the Association. Murray was inducted into the SLA Hall of Fame in 1989 and received the Education Division’s Professional Excellence Award in 1993. He was a Renaissance man, devoted to the profession, a lover of music, theatre and art. He was an extraordinary and generous mentor. Murray died in 1997.

The Award is given to a member of the Social Science Division who embodies the spirit of Murray Wortzel and who has made outstanding contributions through accomplishment and service to the profession and the Division. The Gale Group generously sponsors this biennial award. Roger Haley, Librarian Emeritus of the United States Senate Library, was the first winner of the Award at the San Antonio conference in 2001.

Michael Kolakowski was honored for his many years of service to the Social Science Division and for his dedication and commitment to the profession. He chaired the Social Science Division twice, in 1995 and 1996, served as the Division’s representative to the Government Relations Committee, and served on the Division’s Nominating and Fund Raising committees. Mike was the inspiration behind the invitation to Doris Kearns Goodwin for the Division’s 75th anniversary celebration and was instrumental in the fund raising effort to support the project. Mike was the initiator of the “Meet the Social Science Division” programs at the Association annual conferences, and the creator of many successful Division programs at various conferences. Mike has been a promoter of collaborative efforts with other divisions within the Association which has been a boon to the fiscal and intellectual health of the Social Science Division. He is a founding member of the Gay & Lesbian Issues Caucus.

Mike has also been an active member of the Washington, DC Chapter, and has been instrumental in publishing significant publications in the field of special librarianship. He compiled and edited the successful SLA publication, Sampler of Forms for Special Libraries (2nd ed., 1991), and he is currently serving on the editorial committee for the Washington Area Library Directory (3rd ed.). In 2000 Mike distributed over 600 free copies of a key CD-ROM for political science and government collections, The Annenberg/Pew Archive of Presidential Discourse.

Murray’s spirit and dedication live on in Mike Kolakowski. The many letters of nomination attest to his professionalism, high standards, generosity, compassion, diplomacy and scholarship. As one letter put it, “One other qualification for the award that Michael holds in spades is his character … Michael is the best representative of a special librarian that the profession could have.” Amen to that!

Terry Dean, Chair
Gale Group Murray Wortzel Award Committee
June 23, 2003

And Mike's gracious response...

The Social Science Division has greatly honored me by awarding the Gale Group Murray Wortzel Award to me this year. Many thanks are in order.

Thank you to the Gale Group. Their generous support to Social Science Division makes the award possible. We all depend on the Gale Group’s publications to help us find the name, phone number, or profile to solve the riddles that cross our desks daily.

Thank you to Murray Wortzel - his spirit is with us - for teaching me about Special Libraries Association. Murray reached out to make sure people felt welcome at SLA. Lately we have been seeking to "brand" the association, but years ago Murray already had the brand we want. His brand was "Welcome, I’m glad to meet you, join in with us." That’s the brand I’d like my association to have.

Finally, thank you to Social Science Division for being a wonderful group of talented friends. Every time I work on a division project or read discussion list questions, I’m reminded that Social Science Division has given me friends across town, across the country, and around the world.

Thank you.