University Libraries honors Virginia Tech authors during recognition event

Virginia Tech and University Libraries recently honored more than 200 authors who wrote 250 books in the three years since the last Virginia Tech Authors Recognition Event was held in Newman Library.

“We have been doing this since spring 2006, and the last time we did this was March 2019. We scheduled the event for March 2020 late in the month. We had to cancel, and we all know why,” University Libraries Dean Tyler Walters said during his welcome remarks at the event. “It’s been three years, so we’ve got a lot of books and a lot of authors to celebrate tonight.”

Since 2006, the recognition event has grown and changed. In 2010, the name changed from the Virginia Tech Faculty Authors Recognition Event to The Virginia Tech Authors Recognition Event to also incorporate books and related materials from staff and student published authors. Also in 2010, the University Libraries included film and music because they too are critical publications for many disciplines at Virginia Tech. The event also honors those who publish in open access journals with the help of the University Libraries Open Access Subvention Fund.

“The diversity of topics is really important,” said Walters. “It shows off Virginia Tech’s role in the world. Obviously, we are historically known for agriculture and engineering. But topics are wide ranging. There’s a book about hip hop, there’s a children’s book, there’s history books, and books about human computer interactions — it runs the gamut. It shows how comprehensive Virginia Tech really is and the wide variety of places it can make an impact and help people.”

During the months prior to the event, the University Libraries purchased books authored by Virginia Tech faculty, staff, and students since the 2019 recognition reception. A large display of books, musical scores, and other ancillary items offered attendees a chance to enjoy the wide breadth of scholarship being celebrated. This year, the University Libraries created a form for authors to submit their titles if they did not see their publication already listed on the event’s libguide informational site. The 2023 submission form is available for authors to submit for consideration recently published or soon-to-be-published books for recognition during the next celebration. 

Provost Cyril Clarke took time during the celebration to peruse the books on display and remark on the diversity of topics and its importance.

“I wouldn’t have had the opportunity to engage and enjoy that diversity of topics had it not been for the diversity of scholarship represented in these books here,” he said. “Thank you to the library for what you do in enabling and facilitating scholarship, and thank you and congratulations to the many authors and all that you’ve accomplished that is presented today, but no less represents the work of several years. Well done.”