The North Dakota Library Association has named Michael M. Miller, director and bibliographer of the Germans from Russia Heritage Collection at the NDSU Libraries, the 2008 Librarian of the Year.
Miller has been a librarian at NDSU since 1967 and has been an active member of the North Dakota Library Association for 42 years. In 1978, he proposed the development of the Germans from Russia Heritage Collection. Building upon his own heritage, he has dedicated his professional career to the preservation of the written, physical and oral history of this major immigrant group in North Dakota.
The Germans from Russia Heritage Collection, which contains materials in English, German, Russian and French, is now one of the most comprehensive scholarly resources on this cultural group.
In 2005, Miller partnered with history faculty to launch the Dakota Memories Oral History Project. Through interviews with more than 150 individuals, the oral record of the Germans from Russia is being preserved.
Miller also has partnered with public broadcasting to reach a larger audience through video and audio. He has effectively used digital technologies to preserve records and make them accessible throughout the world.
In a letter of nomination Kathryn Thomas, NDSU documents librarian, wrote, “I believe Michael Miller is highly deserving of the 2008 Librarian of the Year Award. Due to his efforts, the heritage of the Germans from Russia in North Dakota and beyond is being preserved and recognized. This is a legacy he will leave for future generations of North Dakotans, for without Michael’s vision, the Germans from Russia Heritage Collection would not exist. Michael is known worldwide as an invaluable resource on German-Russian history and heritage. Those of us fortunate to know him personally can testify to his dedication and passion, and to his kindness and generosity.”
A reception to recognize Miller for the award is set for Thursday, Oct. 30, from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m. in the Germans from Russia Heritage Collection, Library 114. The event is free and open to the public. Refreshments will be served.
For more information, contact Acacia Stuckle at 1-6596 or acacia.stuckle@ndsu.edu.
Click here to view the citation and comments.
Michael M. Miller with the 2008 Librarian of the Year Award
