December 22, 1997

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Press Contact: Jill D. Brett (202) 707-2905

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Mark Dimunation Named Chief of Rare Book and Special Collections

Mark G. Dimunation was recently named Chief of the Rare Book and Special Collections Division of the Library Congress. He will assume his duties on March 30, 1998. Mr. Dimunation comes to the Library of Congress from Cornell University, where he served since 1991 as curator of rare books and curator of exhibitions. At Cornell, he was responsible for the acquisition, development, and interpretation of the rare book and literary manuscript collections, as well as general exhibition and publication supervision. In announcing the appointment, Associate Librarian for Library Services Winston Tabb said, "Mark Dimunation brings with him excellent credentials and a wealth of experience in rare books and collections."

Before moving to Cornell, Mr. Dimunation worked at Stanford University, serving as assistant chief of the Department of Special Collections (1989-91), rare books librarian (1986-1991) and librarian for services and operations (1983-85). From 1981 to 1983, he was assistant head of acquisitions for the Bancroft Library at the University of California, Berkeley. Mr. Dimunation received his master's degree in library and information science from Berkeley in 1983, his master's in American history from Berkeley in 1976, and his bachelor's degree from St. Olaf College (Northfield, Minn.) in 1974. He is a member of the Grolier Club and is active in the American Library Association's Rare Books and Manuscripts Section, where he has served on a number of important committees. He has presented a number of papers and published several exhibition catalogs, most recently "A Legacy of Ideas: Andrew Dickson White and the Founding of the Cornell University Library."

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PR 97-216
12/22/97
ISSN 0731-3527