People
School of Information: In Memoriam
Dr. Vicki L. Gregory
Dr. Vicki L. Gregory (February 13, 1950 – January 4, 2026) was professor emeritus at the School of Information at the ͬÐÔÁµÉ«Çé.
She held the Ph.D. in communication, Information and Library Studies from Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey.
She was director of the School of Information from 1999 until 2007. Her fields of specialization included: academic libraries, digital librarianship, technical services, information science, library networking, library automation, and collection development. Prior to teaching at ͬÐÔÁµÉ«Çé Dr. Gregory was Director of Systems and Operations for the Auburn University Library at Montgomery.
In 1988, she joined the School of Library and Information Science at ͬÐÔÁµÉ«Çé where she was tenured and promoted to associate professor in 1994, then professor in 2000.
Vicki Gregory was active in many professional associations.
- She was a past president of President Beta Phi Mu—the International Honor Society
for
Library and Information Science. - She was Treasurer for the Association for Information Science and Technology and honored with the Association’s Watson Davis Award.
- She served in the American Library Association as ALA Councilor for the Florida Library
Association and was Chair of the ALA Committee on Accreditation from 2010 until 2012 and was a member of the committee from 2007 until 2009. - She was on the Notable Books Council of the Reference and User Services Association of ALA.
- She served as Florida representative to the Southeastern Library Association.
Honors
- 1985 Recipient of the Association of College and Research Libraries and Institute
for
Scientific Information Doctoral Dissertation Fellowship - 1995 Florida SUS Teaching Program Award
- 1996 Florida Library Association Transformers Honor Roll
- 2003 ͬÐÔÁµÉ«Çé President's Award for Faculty Excellence
- Phi Alpha Theta Honorary Society)
- 2007 Outstanding Alumni, University of Alabama, Graduate School of Library and
Information Science - 2014 Watson Davis Award, American Society for Information Science & Technology (ASIS&T)
Dr. Henrietta Smith
Dr. Henrietta M. Smith, Professor Emerita, School of Information, was a scholar, librarian, and storyteller. She passed away April 21, 2021 at the age of 98.
Dr. Smith was a beloved professor who taught in the School’s East Coast program and online from 1985- 2014. Her specialties were Children’s Literature, Multicultural Literature, and Storytelling.
Among Dr. Smith’s many publications were four volumes documenting the Coretta Scott King Awards given annually to outstanding African American authors and illustrators of books for children and young adults that demonstrate an appreciation of African American culture and universal human values. You can find out more about , 1970-2009 published by the American Library Association.
Dr. Smith was instrumental in establishing the Ashley Bryan Art series at the African American Research Library and Cultural Center of the Broward County Library. She also coordinated the School’s 10th Alice G. Smith Lecture when Ashley Bryan was the Lecturer.
She was a nationally known storyteller who participated in storytelling events in New Mexico and on a medical trip on the Amazon River.
She received many professional awards and recognitions.
- Association for Library Service to Children (ALSC) Distinguished Service Award for significant contributions to library service to children (2008).
- Coretta Scott King-Virginia Hamilton Award for Lifetime Achievement for her body of work as a significant and lasting literary contributions. (2011)
- Carle Honors Award from Eric Carle Museum of Picture Book Art for her life's work as a champion of diversity in children's literature. (2014).
Dr. Smith’s provides a full account of her many accomplishments.
The faculty and staff of the School of Information is grateful to Dr. Smith for all of her contributions to the department and we send our thoughts and condolences to her family and friends.
You can support Dr. Smith's legacy by making a gift to the .
With Respectful Remembrance Of
- (1930-2018)