Coleman and Williams honored with Grant Association award
During the annual meeting of the Ulysses S. Grant Association, held this year May 2 – 4 in MSU’s Mitchell Memorial Library, Dean of Libraries Frances Coleman was honored with the first Ulysses S. Grant Association – John Y. Simon Award of Merit. Dean Coleman shared this honor with Rhode Island Supreme Court Chief Justice (ret.) Frank J. Williams, who is also long-time president of the USGA.
This award will become an annual event, given to an individual who, during the previous year, has done the most for the perpetuation of the memory of General and President Ulysses S. Grant. The Award is named after Professor John Y. Simon, former executive director of the USGA and managing editor of the USGA’s publication of 31 volumes of The Papers of Ulysses S. Grant. Simon died in July 2008.
Dean Coleman received the first award because of the major role she played in the transfer of the Ulysses S. Grant Association Presidential Collection from the Morris Library, Southern Illinois University, where it had resided since 1964, to Mitchell Memorial Library. Since the Collection’s arrival, Coleman has provided consistent support within the Library and the University for the Association and its publication and research functions. In 2009, Coleman was added to the USGA Board of Directors as a demonstration of the faith that the Association had in her and Mississippi State University. This new award only demonstrates again the high regard in which she, the MSU Libraries, and Mississippi State University are held by USGA.
Chief Justice Williams was honored with this award in celebration of his 25th anniversary on the Board of Directors and his fifteen years of service as USGA president. Justice Williams has provided consistent leadership that has been instrumental in placing the USGA among the leaders in the field of documentary preservation and publication.
John F. Marszalek, USGA executive director and managing editor since August 2008, made the award presentations to Dean Coleman and Justice Williams. Marszalek commented, “The Ulysses S. Grant Association is fortunate to have the talents and dedication of Dean Coleman and Justice Williams. The Association’s presentation of this prestigious award to them is but a small token of gratitude for all they have done and continue to do for our important historical work.”
For more information on the USGA and the Ulysses S. Grant Presidential Collection, please visit http://library.msstate.edu/grant.
Submitted by
Angela M. Patton
Library Assistant
Mississippi State University Libraries
Entry Filed under: News
Posted on: June 4th, 2010
