Library Boasts Two Recent Pfizer Award Winners
The Library is proud that two of its long-time employees have been honored recently by the LSUHSC Foundation with Pfizer Awards for Excellence in Education, Research, and Patient Care. The awards recognize outstanding employees of the Health Sciences Center who demonstrate excellence in everything they do. Margaret Jean Rouse, Cataloging Librarian, was honored in 1998, and Elizabeth Dean, Library Associate for Administration, will receive the award in October.
Jean Rouse graduated from Millsaps College with a B.A. in English, and after a brief stint as a high school English teacher, she answered the call to move to New Orleans. She joined the staff in February 1960 as a Library Assistant working half-time in the Cataloging department and half-time in Public Services. In 1967 the Library began recataloging its collection from the Dewey Decimal system to the National Library of Medicine system. During that period Jean became a full-time Cataloging staff member. Ten years later, in June 1977, she became the Cataloging Librarian. Jean says that of all the things she has done in her nearly forty years here, she is most proud of the fact that she oversaw the conversion of the Library's catalog from paper format to computer. That five-year project, which was completed in 1993, ensured that patrons are able to access the records of all cataloged material in the Library via the online catalog.
Elizabeth Dean has spent her entire professional life at the LSUHSC Library; in a sense, she grew up here. After receiving a B.A. in English Literature from the University of New Orleans, she began working as a Library Assistant in the Serials department in September 1976. Elizabeth moved to a position in the Acquisitions department two years later. She remained there until January 1985, when she became the Library Associate in Administration. Elizabeth is well-known throughout the Health Sciences Center for her problem-solving and her enthusiasm.
In addition to their involvement in their work, both Jean and Elizabeth have active personal lives. A rabid sports fan, Jean roots for all the local teams, especially the Saints and - of course - the LSU Tigers. In her spare time, she enjoys playing cards and visiting with her many friends.
Elizabeth is an avid mystery reader. She also enjoys doing crossword and jigsaw puzzles and participating in outdoor activities such as gardening and camping. Elizabeth is married to Richard Dean, Assistant Director of Auxiliary Enterprises at LSUHSC. She has a fifteen-year-old son named Ashley.
Jean and Elizabeth have worked at the Library longer than any other current staff member. Together they form our institutional memory; a conversation with these two close friends reveals fascinating details about the Library's history. When asked about the changes they have seen over the years, both mentioned the growth in the number of staff. This change reflects the continued expansion of services provided to our patrons. We are proud to have these exceptional women on our staff and are thrilled that the Foundation has recognized their hard work and dedication.
-- Elizabeth Schafer