The Library History Round Table has awarded Steven A. Knowlton the 2016 Justin Winsor Prize. The award, $500 and a certificate, is presented annually to the author of an outstanding essay embodying original historical research on a significant subject of library history. The award is named in honor of the distinguished 19th century librarian, historian and bibliographer who was also ALA’s first president.
Knowlton, an assistant professor of libraries collection management at the University of Memphis in Memphis, Tennessee, received the award for his essay “Since I was a citizen, I had the right to attend the library: the key role of the public library in the civil rights movement in Memphis.” The jury remarked, “Out of several excellent submissions, this one was chosen because it was truly a gripping read. The paper is situated at the intersection of history, law, and civil rights, and is of both historical and current interest. It made excellent use of primary sources, including court documents and newspapers, and builds on existing work in the field.”
2016 Committee Members
Jenny Bossaller (Chair)
Catherine Oliver
Christopher Walker
Jamane Yeager