Charles E. Beard

Charles E. Beard (November 17, 1940 – June 2, 2004) was a noted librarian in the state of Georgia,[1] having aided in a variety of programs, won numerous awards, and had an award named after him by the Georgia Library Association.

Charles E. Beard
Born(1940-11-17)November 17, 1940
DiedJune 2, 2004(2004-06-02) (aged 63)
OccupationLibrarian

Career

According to the University of West Georgia’s web page, Beard began as the last principal of the Fourth District Agricultural & Mechanical School, later becoming the first president of the same institution after it grew to become the West Georgia College.[2] He later became the College’s Director of Libraries in 1978, and continued as a library director for at least 26 years, according to the Library Journal.[3] From there he served on numerous committees and chairs, including membership of the White House Conference on Libraries and the Information Services Task Force, the latter of which he became national co-chair of in 1991. In a memorial from the Georgia Library Association, he is also noted to have served on many other committees of the American Library Association such as the ALA Advocacy Assembly, the ALA Chapter Relations Committee, multiple ALA Presidential Campaigns, and the ALA’s own Executive Board.

Legacy

Beard is cited to have been President of the Southeastern Library Association and many of its associated committees. In addition, he also served as the Georgia Library Association’s president, chairing many of its committees as well.[4]

Beard was involved in the production of Georgia Library Learning Online. Also known as GALILEO, it was an online resource of Georgia libraries[5] which connected them all in one virtual library that allowed them to easily obtain and read stored articles, scholarly journals, and books within its database. This saved libraries several million dollars in providing a wide variety of patron-friendly tools and services that would, standing alone, cost much more than some facilities would be able to afford.[6] Through its GIL system, it also connected libraries across the state by providing tools for cataloguing and sharing resources among them, such as magazines, rare books, and encyclopedias.[7] According to Beard’s Memorial Resolution from the GLA, he led GALILEO’s development with the University of Georgia.

On his retirement from the library, he presided over the University of West Georgia Irvine Sullivan Ingram Library. The Charles E. Beard Ingram Library Endowment Fund was established to promote the library in his memory.[8] Within the Georgia Library Association, they renamed their Library Advocacy Award, which was first awarded in 1995, into the Charles Beard Library Advocacy Award on the year of his death in his memory.[9] In addition, the GLA also named one of their scholarships after him; The Beard Scholarship, which is meant to provide financial assistance to those pursuing a master's degree in Library Science who “inspire and motivate their peers in the profession and in professional associations.”[10]

Notes
  1. "Charles E. Beard Obituary - Atlanta, Georgia". Legacy.com. Retrieved 2019-06-14.
  2. "Ingram Library/Lecture Series/Charles Beard". University of West Georgia Libraries. 14 April 2006. Archived from the original on 2006-09-12.
  3. "West Georgia's Beard, Library Advocate, Dies at 63". Library Journal. 6 September 2004. Archived from the original on 2012-02-06.
  4. Georgia Library Association. “Memorial Resolution Honoring Charles E. Beard” 2004 ALA Annual Conference. Via web, http://gla.georgialibraries.org/beard.htm
  5. "About the Initiative". galileo.usg.edu. Governor and the General Assembly of Georgia.
  6. "GALILEO, Georgia's Virtual Library for the 21st century" (PDF). Office of Information and Instructional Technology, University of Georgia. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2006-05-04.
  7. "How do the University System of Georgia libraries share their collections?" (PDF). Office of Information and Instructional Technology, University of Georgia. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2006-06-23.
  8. Stevens, C. (8 June 2004). "In Memory of Charles". State University of West Georgia Ingram Library. Archived from the original on 2004-06-19.
  9. "Past Georgia Library Association Award Winners". Georgia Library Association. Archived from the original on 2016-11-01.
  10. "The Beard Scholarship [New for 2006]". Georgia Library Association. Archived from the original on 2006-05-17.
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