Janovy to receive Friends of Libraries award

National Library week celebrations at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln will include the Friends of the Libraries bestowing the Hartley Burr Alexander Award on Professor John Janovy Jr.

Janovy, the Paula and D.B. Varner distinguished professor of biological sciences, will be honored, April 14 at 7 p.m. in Love Library, 13th and R streets. As part of the evening, Janovy will give a presentation, "That beautiful, mysterious, terrifying and uncontrollable thing we call, 'Nature.'" The program is free and open to the public.

Janovy is the first UNL faculty member to receive the Hartley Burr Alexander Award. Past recipients were Carolyn Heilbrun (1990), Jeremy Bernstein (1992) and James M. McPherson (1994). The award, established by the Friends in 1990, honors scholars with written accomplishments in more than one area of human experience.

Alexander (1873-1939) graduated from NU in 1897 and taught at the university from 1908-27. He distinguished himself as a philosopher, essayist, poet, historian, folklorist, teacher, scenarist of pageants, playwright and architectural iconographer. He was best known for his work on the decorative scheme, symbolism and the inscriptions for the Nebraska Capitol.

Janovy has been at UNL since 1966 and was director of the Cedar Point Biological Station from 1979-1986 and from 1993-1999. He has received numerous awards, including the NU Foundation Award for Distinguished Teaching, the UNL Outstanding Research and Creative Activity Award, the Nebraska Library Association Mari Sandoz Award and others.

In addition to teaching and advising the full range of students from freshmen to doctoral candidates, Janovy has published extensively, and his most recent book, "Teaching in Eden: Lessons from Cedar Point" (2003), details some of his innovative teaching techniques.

CONTACT: Joan Barnes, Development & Outreach Librarian, University Libraries, (402) 472-6987