LIASA acknowledges Edenvale resident’s hard work and contribution
In 2012, she was awarded a Master of Laws degree by the University of the Witwatersrand, a rare achievement for a librarian.
Elma Park resident Denise Nicholson was presented with the Lifetime Achievement Award at the Library and Information Association of South Africa (LIASA)’s online conference.
Denise received the award at the conference on September 29 when it was presented jointly by the SALI Trust chairperson, Rachel More, and the LIASA president, Nikki Crowster.
Denise received the award for her work as a long-serving copyright services librarian and later working as a scholarly communications librarian at the University of the Witwatersrand before retiring at the end of 2020.
Criteria for the award emphasises that it is more than just a career being honoured but a lifelong contribution of leadership, commitment, service and achievements.
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During the conference, Denise was lauded for her impact on the profession stretching beyond the University of the Witwatersrand, where she spent most of her career.
She was described as one of the “go-to” persons in the country in this critical field for a long time and continues to assist a wide range of people and organisations.
Denise started her association with the University of the Witwatersrand Library in 1983.
In 1996 Denise was appointed copyright services librarian, where she developed her unparalleled expertise and experience in the field.
In 2012, she was awarded a Master of Laws degree by the University of the Witwatersrand, a rare achievement for a librarian.
The following year she became the Scholarly Communications Librarian at the university.
Denise has worked extensively on copyright issues in SA and internationally.
She continues to provide specialist services to a variety of individuals, businesses and government departments through Scholarly Horizons Consultancy.
In 1998 and 2000 she led copyright task teams, mandated by tertiary management bodies in South Africa, which successfully stopped more restrictive copyright amendments from being passed.
During her career, Denise also served on well over 30 international, regional and national committees, boards, groups, teams and networks in the intellectual property and open access area.
This included four terms on the International Federation of Library Associations Committee on Copyright and Other Legal Matters and as chairperson of the Copyright and Legal Matters
Working Group of the African Library and Information Associations and Institutions.
Besides being a practising librarian, Denise developed an impressive body of scholarship.
She has 15 internationally published papers, 36 South African, contributed to chapters in seven books and various conference papers, reports, blogs and commentaries.
Some of her previous awards include:
• LIASA Academic Librarian of the Year Award in 2001
• Unisa Department of Information Science Alumnus of the Year in 2009
• LIASA Librarian of the Year in 2010
• Wits Vice-Chancellor’s Academic Citizenship Award in 2015
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