Norman Belk

Norman Belk began his library career after working in the retail markets in Greenville and New York City. He started work at the Greenville County Library System as a bibliographic searcher for new materials. Meanwhile, he took graduate coursework to learn about his new profession. During this time, he worked in all service points in the Reference Department: Business, Science & Technology, Fine Arts, and General Reference. He attended the University of South Carolina to obtain an accredited Master’s Degree in Librarianship. His coursework emphasized Library History and Automation.

After serving in many capacities (Reference, Collection Development/Automation, Branch Library Manager/Audiovisual Materials Supervisor) at the Greenville County Library System, he embarked on assisting with the plan to build new branch libraries and a new Main Library System, while serving first as the Coordinator for Community Services and then as the Development officer. The successful plan ultimately created nine replacement branch libraries and the new Hughes Main Library for Greenville County.

His library professional activities include membership in the American Library Association (ALA) for over 25 years and a sustaining membership in the South Carolina Library Association (SCLA) for 30 years.

ALA: He served for eight years on the Public Library Association’s (a division of ALA) Audiovisual Committee where he created the winning entry for the Imroth Award for Intellectual Freedom - the first in the Committee’s history. He served for a term on the ALA Intellectual Freedom Committee, as well. He is currently on the Association of College and Research (ACRL – a division of ALA) Government Relations Committee. He serves in the Arts Section of ACRL and the Music Library Association, as well.

SCLA: Mr. Belk was one of the Founding Members of the Government Documents Roundtable, Chairman of the Intellectual Freedom Committee for three terms, Vice-President and President of the Association in 1999 – 2001. He has coordinated fundraising for educational conferences for SCLA and is credited with creating a permanent educational fundraising arm of the Association. During his SCLA Presidency, a long-term goal of the organization came to fruition: the establishment of an SCLA scholarship at the University of South Carolina for Diversity in Librarianship.

Local volunteerism: Former member (10 years) of the Rotary Club of Greenville East, serving as President in 2003-04; served as Secretary of the Friends of Pete Hollis to establish a Sculpture Garden in honor of this outstanding educator (2004-07); and he served on the Board of the Greenville Literacy Association for 6 years and as President for 1992-1993.

Honors and Awards: SCLA Outstanding Librarian, 1994; Distinguished Graduate – University of South Carolina – College of Library and Information Science (named by the Faculty) 2001.