Dr. Chris Shaffer, dean of library services at Troy University, has been honored with the Alabama Library Association’s Distinguished Service Award.
Shaffer received the award during the Association’s annual convention in Florence, Ala., April 10-13. The award is presented to a librarian or individual in a related field in recognition of leadership that has made a significant contribution toward the development of library service within Alabama.
“Part of what makes Chris effective in his role as Dean of Troy University Libraries is his commitment to lifelong learning,” said Michael Pearce, head of Gorgas Information Services at the University of Alabama Libraries, who nominated Shaffer for the award. “He completed his doctorate in educational leadership, policy, and law in 2014, but has also taken advantage of other unique learning opportunities. In 2007, he was selected to be a fellow in the Goethe Institute’s Trans-Atlantic Outreach Program. As a result of his participation with Goethe, Chris developed a series of annual Holocaust education programs at all three TROY campuses in Alabama. In 2008 and this past summer, he participated in fellowships with the Japan Studies Institute. This has led to the library writing several grants that have helped develop their collections relating to Japanese history.”
Shaffer became dean of library services in 2014. Prior to becoming dean, Dr. Shaffer served as director of the library at TROY’s Dothan Campus and also served as the social sciences reference librarian on the Troy Campus for one year. Prior to entering the library field, Shaffer spent eight years as a history teacher in Georgia and one year teaching English as a Second Language in Slovakia.
In 2017, Shaffer was honored with the Alabama Library Association’s Intellectual Freedom Award for his efforts to bring unique, interesting and thought-provoking programming on such topics as the Holocaust, understanding Muslims and the Islamic World, and African American studies to the University’s libraries.
In 2015, Shaffer was one of only 10 librarians in the nation selected to receive the “I Love My Librarian Award,” which is co-sponsored by The New York Public Library and The New York Times and is administered by the American Library Association.
“I am deeply honored to receive this award from the Alabama Library Association,” Shaffer said. “Nothing means more than to be recognized by one’s peers. This award also represents a validation of all of the many unique learning experiences I and all of our library faculty have worked on to bring to TROY’s students over the past several years.”
Dr. Shaffer received his master’s in library and information science from the University of Alabama in 2005 and his doctorate in educational leadership, policy and law from Alabama State University in 2014. He has been published in several peer-reviewed journals and has extensive experience in writing and implementing grants.
