Announcement of the recipient for the 2014 CALA Outstanding Library Leadership Award
Professor Chen-Ku Wang -- the Recipient of the 2014 CALA Outstanding Library Leadership Award
By the unanimous recommendation of the Task Force for the CALA Outstanding Leadership Award in Memory of Dr. Margaret Chang Fung,the Executive Board of CALA has approved Professor Chen-Ku Wang as the recipient of the 2014 CALA Outstanding Library Leadership Award.
For more than sixty years, Professor Chen-Ku Wang has demonstrated superior library leadership in teaching, library administration, library and information science education, research and publication in Taiwan with profound influence in international librarianship.
Professor Wang began his library career at the National Taiwan Normal University (NTNU) Library in 1955. He went on to receive his graduate library degree at the George Peabody College of Vanderbilt University in the U.S. in 1959. While serving as the library director, he also served as the Head of the Division of Library and Information Science in the Department of Adult and Continuing Education of NTNU– which was the first library education program in Taiwan. Throughout his library career, he also served as adjunct professor of library and information science at the National Taiwan University, Fu Jen Catholic University, and Chinese Culture University. After his retirement in 1994, he continues to serve as a faculty advisor for many doctoral students. In 2002 he became Professor Emeritus at NTNU.
Because of his remarkable accomplishments in library administration and teaching, Professor Wang was appointed Director General of the National Central Library in 1977. During the twelve years as the national librarian in Taiwan, Professor Wang was responsible for the planning and construction of the new national library building, established the world renown Center for Chinese Studies, engaged in library automation by creating the ISBN, Micrographic, Microfilming and Publication Centers. In 1980, he also established the National Bibliographic Information Network (NBINet) in Taiwan and initiated the “Chinese MARC”, “Chinese Cataloging Rules”, and “Chinese Subject Headings” projects. In his effort to create online bibliographies for Chinese publications, he established partnership with OCLC and RLIN information systems.
In addition to teaching and managing libraries, Professor Wang has also worked tirelessly on research, writing, and publication. The publishing of the Journal of Library and Information Science, a joint publication of the Department of Adult and Continuing Education, National Taiwan Normal University, and the Mid-West Chinese American Librarian Association (which was later renamed in 1976 as Chinese American Librarian Association) was made possible by Professor Wang and Dr. Tze-Chung Li in 1975 with Professor Wang serving as its first Chief Editor. This journal was
awarded by National Science Council of Taiwan as “Excellent Academic Journal in Humanities and Social Sciences” in 2003. Professor Wang’s publications include 40 professional books and 382 essays on a wide range of library topics.
During his term of office as Director of the National Central Library, he actively promoted international communications, cooperated with libraries in many parts of the world, and held many international conferences. In 1985 Professor Wang also led a delegation to participate in the 45th Annual Conference of the American Association of Information Science (ASIS) in Columbus, Ohio.
In addition, he also sponsored the First Taipei International Book Exhibition. To broaden the impact of Chinese culture, Professor Wang assigned staff to help Oxford University Library, University of Washington at Seattle, San Francisco Public Library, and South American countries in
organizing their Chinese collections.
After his retirement, Professor Wang, in his capacity as the President of the Library Association of the Republic of China (Taiwan), launched a series of formal communication between libraries across the Taiwan Straits. In September of 1990, he led a delegation to visit important libraries and library education institutes in China. In 1992, through the platform of the Journal of Library and Information Science, he held pen talks to broaden the cross-strait communication forum. In 1993, by cooperating with National Taiwan University, the Association held the International Conference on Library and Information Science Education, inviting key library educators in Mainland China to visit Taiwan. This meeting has not only promoted mutual understanding of libraries and library education across the Straits, but has also achieved mutual communication and interlibrary cooperation.
In recognition of his outstanding leadership and accomplishments, Professor Wang has received numerous awards. The most notable ones from countries abroad are CALA’s Distinguished Service Award in 1987, Order of Saint Sylvester granted by the Roman Curia in 1987, and the Honorary Doctor of Laws Degree of Ohio University in 1988.
Chinese American Librarians Association
CALA Outstanding Library Leadership Award
in Memory of Dr. Margaret Chang Fung Taskforce
announcement_of_prof._wang_chen-ku.pdf