Librarian Barbara Opar receives Association of Architecture School Librarians Award

Syracuse University Librarian Barbara Opar has been awarded the 2015 Distinguished Service Award from the Association of Architecture School Librarians (AASL). The annual award recognizes an individual member of the library profession who has, over a significant period of time, made an outstanding national contribution to architecture librarianship and to the development of architecture schools.

Barbara Opar

Michael Speaks, dean of the School of Architecture, praised Opar’s achievement, saying, “Barbara’s contributions are essential to what makes our school distinct among others in architectural education and discourse. Her commitment and ceaseless work over the years have been invaluable, as has her understanding of the vital significance of the human element in supporting the work of the school.”

Individuals nominated demonstrate achievements in service and visionary leadership to the profession, significant and influential research on architecture school library programs, publication of a body of scholarly and/or theoretical writing, or in planning and development of exemplary school library programs through legislative efforts, implementation of models, establishment of guidelines or the teaching and/or mentoring of future library professionals.

Opar has been of member of AASL since 1981 and recently served as chair of the Architecture Core Reference Task Force, which produced a comprehensive online guide to architecture research materials.