In June 1997 Barbara Newcombe was awarded the News Division's highest honor, The Joseph F. Kwapil Memorial Award in Seattle, Washington.
Barbara Newcombe is both a News Division pioneer, and "in retirement," a continuing presence in the field of journalism. She was one of the early contributors who launched NewsLibraryNews and ensured that interesting, informative and thought-provoking material appeared on its pages. Barbara is the consummate "news librarian with attitude." [Note: Barbara truly did sign one of her NewsLibraryNews columns with the "bastard" measure: ILLIGITMI NON CARBORUNDUM."]
She has encouraged members to think and do the important things that needed doing, without regards for worries about traditional library roles.
She began her news library career in the Washington, DC news bureau of The Chicago Tribune on March 12, 1973. The day, she says "John Dean came down from Camp David determined to sing like a canary." Barbara credits her survival of the Watergate barrage in her one-person library to the help received from fellow Division mentor, Carolyn Hardnett. She then moved to Chicago, where John Janssen helped her begin a whole new adventure in electronic news librarianship at The Chicago Tribune.
Barbara continues to inspire. She volunteered her time and expertise to the Center for Investigative Reporting in San Francisco for ten years after her retirement. During that time she compiled and published Paper Trails: A Guide to Public Records in California. She won the Freedom of Information Award from the Society of Professional Journalists, Northern California Chapter for that book. The revised edition of the book, in collaboration with reporter Steve Levine, has also received an award from the same group.
Never content, Barbara has embarked on a new adventure, local government, where she is actively involved in trying to make sure a sunsine ordance for Oakland, CA is honored to the full extent.
This page was created by Barbara P. Semonche. It was last updated June 1997. If you have any suggestions or comments, feel free to contact Barbara here.