Annual Report (2014-2015)
Walter Gerboth Award Committee
Members: Kathleen Abromeit, chair (2016); Rebecca Belford (2017); Rebecca Littman,
(2018)
Report on Activities: We received three applications for the 2016 Walter Gerboth
Award. A call for applications for the 2016 award was posted in May 2015. The deadline
for applications was July 09, 2015. Anna Kijas rotated off as chair of the committee and
Rebecca Littman was appointed as a new member.
Previous year’s goals: Work closely with the Publicity and Outreach officer to develop a
better outreach plan and formalize a method that will publicize the award and encourage
applicants to apply
Progress on Goals: We worked very hard to promote the Gerboth Award and draw in
more applicants this year. The mega-marketing plan included postings to
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MLA-L
MLA student group
Facebook, Twitter
Library school lists
organizations with whom MLA has liaisons
Asian/Pacific American Librarians Association – online contact
form at http://www.apalaweb.org/contact/
American Indian Library Association: ailawebsite@gmail.com
American Theological Library Association: memberrep@atla.com
Association of Christian Librarians: info@acl.org
Association of Jewish Libraries: membership@jewishlibraries.org
Black Caucus of the ALA: Online contact form at
http://www.bcala.org/index.php/about-us/contact-us
Chinese American Library Association: Online contact form at
http://cala-web.org/contact
ALA Library Support Staff Interests Round Table:
lswader@ala.org , valcolon@aol.com
INALJ.com JOBS@INALJ.COM
Law Library Listserv – owner jcjanes@ucdavis.edu
Our efforts to promote beyond MLA were successful. We received three excellent
applications for the 2016 award and selected Dr. Archer-Capuzzo’s project
"Constructing a Biography of Lev Aronson.” The project will build toward sharing
the legacy of Lev Aronson (1912-1988). He was a cellist, teacher, and composer who
was born in Germany, grew up in Latvia and Russia and survived imprisonment in five
concentration camps during World War II. He then immigrated to the United States,
winning a position as principal cellist of the Dallas Symphony Orchestra. ArcherCapuzzo’s research will result in the first Grove article on the influential cellist and
teacher and ultimately a comprehensive biography. As Dr. Archer-Capuzzo wrote in
her proposal, "Aronson's story of survival and resilience, and his passion for music and
education, should not be lost." The research project includes interviews with living
acquaintances and former students of Aronson's who provide a direct connection to his
musical life and career. The Gerboth award will support recording and transcription of
those interviews.
Additionally, the funding will support translations of materials in Aronson’s collection
located at the University of North Carolina at Greensboro. Most of these materials
were written in German or Yiddish, and the translations will bring this repertoire into
the public realm. Aronson corresponded extensively with cellist Rudolph Matz, with
whom he co-authored The Complete Cellist, an important cello technique study.
Dr. Archer-Capuzzo holds both an MLIS (2011) and a DMA- Clarinet, secondary
concentration in Ethnomusicology (2008) from the University of North Carolina at
Greensboro.
Goals for 2015-2016:
● Review whether conditions of this award can be revised to be more flexible.
○ Ideas: explore accommodating recent MLS [or equivalent] graduates who
may be searching for a library position, but in the mean time are working
elsewhere. Perhaps require that they furnish a letter of reference from a
library professional who can attest to their professional intentions.