Hugh Craig Atkinson (November 27, 1933 – October 24, 1986)[1] was an American librarian known for his innovations in library automation and cooperation.
[3] Atkinson's professional library career began at Pennsylvania Military College, where he worked from 1958 to 1961 as a reader services librarian.
In an interview with Technicalities in 1985, Atkinson stated, "The only way I can see in a decentralized world to maximize library use is to provide, at the varying sites, the ability to borrow freely throughout the campus.
[9] He wrote, "My point is that one should not try to reach some kind of theoretical balance or fairness, but to build a network that will provide, by its services and arrangement, the library activities that will satisfy each of the participants, although not necessarily in the same way.
"[14] [15] The Illinois Library Association (ILA) honors Atkinson and his dedication to "statewide interlibrary cooperation" with a yearly award.
The Hugh C. Atkinson Memorial/Demco Award is presented by Illinois Library Association and Demco to an individual, a group, a program, or an institution that makes a lasting impact on librarianship.