May 23-24, 2002

ITEM 115-1007-R0502 Authorization to Confer the Title of Professor of Library Services on Karen Driessen, Professor of Library Science, and Director, Instructional Media Services, Maureen and Mike Mansfield Library; The University of Montana-Missoula

 

THAT: Karen Driessen, Professor of Library Science, and Director, Instructional Media Services, in her 29 years of dedicated service to The University of Montana and to the State of Montana, has merited the commendation of the Board of Regents of the Montana University System, and has earned the title of Professor of Library Services Emeritus.

 

EXPLANATION: Professor Driessen received her B.A. degree from The University of Montana in 1965, and her M.A. in Librarianship from the University of Denver in 1967. She worked at the University of Colorado in Boulder from 1965-1966 and the Adams County School District in Colorado from 1967-1969. In 1969, Professor Driessen relocated to Missoula and worked for the Missoula County High Schools until 1970. In 1973, she became the Media Cataloger at The University of Montana. In 1976, Professor Driessen became Media Librarian, and in 1993, she became first Acting Director and then Director of Mansfield Library Instructional Media Services. She served in that capacity until her retirement in 2002.

During her years of service at the Mansfield Library, Professor Driessen committed herself to providing top quality reference service and instruction to students and scholars. Her successful efforts to develop and build the University's comprehensive media collection will serve as a living legacy to current and future library users. As co-author of A Library Managers Guide to the Physical Processing of Nonprint Materials, Professor Driessen's expertise in cataloging will serve future generations as a standard for ensuring online access to collections are readily available to users.

Professor Driessen's University service remains considerable, and she served as a member of both the Committee for Campus and Facilities and the Administrative Advisory Council. Professor Driessen's involvement with the Montana Committee for the Humanities has led to successful grant opportunities for the Mansfield Library to expand and maintain their film collection.

For these accomplishments and for her truly remarkable interest in providing students and scholars at The University of Montana with the knowledge and research tools they need, the faculty and staff proudly recommends the commendation of the Board of Regents and the title, Professor of Library Services Emeritus, for Professor Karen Driessen.