Melanie L. Freese Recognized for Excellence in Librarianship

Ms. Freese is the founder of the library for St. Peter's Lutheran Church in Baldwin, New York

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Feb 22, 2019, 15:50 ET

NORTH BALDWIN, N.Y., Feb. 22, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- Melanie L. Freese is a distinguished biographee of Marquis Who's Who. As in all Marquis Who's Who biographical volumes, individuals profiled are chosen from among a pool of the most prominent professionals and are selected on the basis of current reference value. Factors such as position, noteworthy accomplishments, visibility, and prominence in a field are all taken into account during the selection process.

With over 55 years of professional experience to her credit, Ms. Freese is currently active as an associate professor of library science with Hofstra University in Hempstead, New York. Joining the university in 1984 as a senior catalog librarian, she has also held the role of assistant dean and chair of technical services for the Joan & Donald E. Axinn Library from 1999 to 2001. Prior to her tenure with Hofstra University, she served in a multitude of roles with the Swirbul Library at Adelphi University in Garden City, New York, from 1972 to 1983. Ms. Freese began her career as an elementary school teacher in Roosevelt and Massapequa, New York, notably working at the Grace Episcopal Day School in Massapequa from 1959 to 1970.

Furthermore, Ms. Freese has presented numerous training workshops on various aspects of cataloging and classification to faculty and staff in both technical and public services. Currently, she is mentoring a younger colleague who is learning to catalog materials for the Music Library at Hofstra University. She has also authored several articles concerning the Axinn Library, including "Missing Links: Smart Barcodes and Inventory Analysis at Hofstra University Axinn Library" in 1989 and "Fostering Communication and Understanding at Hofstra University Axinn Library" in 2002.

In addition to her primary career responsibilities, Ms. Freese has contributed her skills to a number of other professional endeavors as well. Regularly serving as a reviewer for Public Services Quarterly and Libraries Alive, she published the book "Charles Leonard Woolley: 1880 to 1960" in 1989. Founding the library of the St. Peter's Lutheran Church in Baldwin in 1975, she is notable for her work with the Wayside Home School for Girls, where she established a library for the residents in 1993. Ms. Freese considers the time she spent with the Wayside Home School for Girls to be the absolute highlight of her career.

Attributing her success to her work ethic and education, Ms. Freese began her studies at Hofstra University, where she earned a Bachelor of Education in elementary education in 1967 and a Master of Education in elementary education in 1969. When her career took a turn towards library science, she returned to school to further her academic efforts and obtained a Master of Library Science from Long Island University Post in Brookville in 1977. A certified teacher for kindergarten through sixth grade since 1969, Ms. Freese has been a certified public librarian since 1977.

Outside of her professional path, Ms. Freese strives to give back to her community. Active with the Nassau County Library Association in a number of roles between 1983 and 1996, she has also donated her time to the Business and Professional Women of Nassau County. She has been active with the Women's Advance Club in Baldwin since 2012 and also belongs to the Baldwin Civic Association. A storyteller and leader for Vacation Bible School, she has also held the roles of Sunday school teacher, librarian and lector with St. Peter's Lutheran Church.

An informational specialist as well as an educator, Ms. Freese is a member of the Online Audiovisual Catalogers, Inc., the American Library Association and the Nassau County Library Association. Elected to Kappa Delta Pi and the Beta Phi Mu International Honor Society, she has been the recipient of a number of honors and accolades over the course of her career. Named Woman of the Year by the Business and Professional Women of Nassau County in 1994, she was the recipient of a Distinguished Service Award from St. Peter's Lutheran Church in 1993. Twice honored by the International Biographical Centre as well, Ms. Freese was presented with a Twentieth Century Award for Achievement in 1994 and an International Order of Merit in 1980.

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Since 1899, when A. N. Marquis printed the First Edition of Who's Who in America^®, Marquis Who's Who^® has chronicled the lives of the most accomplished individuals and innovators from every significant field of endeavor, including politics, business, medicine, law, education, art, religion and entertainment. Today, Who's Who in America^® remains an essential biographical source for thousands of researchers, journalists, librarians and executive search firms around the world. Marquis^® publications may be visited at the official Marquis Who's Who^® website at www.marquiswhoswho.com.

SOURCE Marquis Who's Who