Elizabeth W. Stone (June 21, 1918 – March 6, 2002) was an American librarian and educator and president of the

American Library Association The American Library Association (ALA) is a nonprofit organization based in the United States that promotes libraries and library education internationally. It is the oldest and largest library association in the world. History 19th century ...

from 1981 to 1982. In 1988 she was awarded Honorary Membership in the American Library Association. In 1998 she was honored with the

Beta Phi Mu Award The Beta Phi Mu Award is an annual prize recognizing an individual for distinguished service to education for librarianship. First bestowed in 1954, Award recipients include various prominent leaders in the field of librarianship.George S. Bobinski ...

for distinguished service to

education for librarianship Education is the transmission of knowledge and skills and the development of character traits. Formal education occurs within a structured institutional framework, such as public schools, following a curriculum. Non-formal education also fol ...

. Stone received her master's degree in library science in 1961 from the

Catholic University of America The Catholic University of America (CUA) is a private Catholic research university in Washington, D.C., United States. It is one of two pontifical universities of the Catholic Church in the United States – the only one that is not primarily a ...

. She joined the faculty of the

that same year. She went on to get her doctorate in public administration from the

American University The American University (AU or American) is a Private university, private University charter#Federal, federally chartered research university in Washington, D.C., United States. Its main campus spans 90-acres (36 ha) on Ward Circle, in the Spri ...

in 1968 and was named chair of Catholic University's Department of Library Science in 1972. The department became a School of Library and Information Science in 1981 and she retired in 1983. Stone developed a plan for continuing library and information science education for the

National Commission on Libraries and Information Science The National Commission on Libraries and Information Science (NCLIS) was an agency in the United States government between 1970 and 2008. The activities of the Commission were consolidated into the Institute of Museum and Library Services. Record ...

. She proposed establishment of a Continuing Library Education Network and Exchange (CLENE). This was incorporated in 1975. In 1982 a proposal to move CLENE to the American Library Association was presented and deferred. Within the American Library Association a Continuing Library Education Network and Exchange Round Table (CLENERT) was established in 1984. In 1985, Stone sponsored the first World Conference on Continuing Professional Education for the Library and Information Professions immediately before the Chicago Conference of the

International Federation of Library Associations and Institutions The International Federation of Library Associations and Institutions (IFLA) is an international body representing the interests of people who rely on Library, libraries and information professionals. A non-governmental, not-for-profit organizati ...

(IFLA). As a result of this meeting, the Continuing Professional Education Round Table (CPERT) of IFLA was established. After retirement, Stone continued to be an advocate for continuing education of librarians. She served as the librarian and archivist of the

National Presbyterian Church The National Presbyterian Church is a Christian congregation of approximately 1,500 members of all ages from the Washington metropolitan area, greater metropolitan Washington, D.C., area. The mission statement of the church is "Leading People to B ...

where her husband had been a minister for 25 years.

References

1918 births 2002 deaths 20th-century American librarians Presidents of the American Library Association Catholic University of America School of Library and Information Science faculty Catholic University of America alumni American University alumni 20th-century American women librarians 20th-century American women academics American Library Association people {{US-bio-stub