Randye Jones Receives the 2022 Music Library Association Citation Award

Randye Jones, Burling Library media room supervisor, is the 2022 recipient of the Music Library Association (MLA) Citation Award. The MLA Citation, the Association’s tribute for lifetime achievement, is awarded in recognition of distinguished service to music librarianship over a career. Citation recipients become Honorary Members of the Music Library Association. Jones was honored with this award for her leadership in making spirituals accessible and for her work to encourage participation by all members. 

As a true champion of the music of African Americans and of paraprofessionals in music libraries, Jones has positively contributed to the work of MLA’s members and their patrons. Her decades-long, groundbreaking work has produced a multifaceted body of research and performances of African-American vocal music. Her websites, including “Afrocentric Voices in ‘Classical’ Music,” “The Spirituals Database,” and “Afrocentric Sounds Radio,” document the work of Black musicians and increase access to oft-neglected bodies of literature. Jones’s published articles, presentations at many national and regional conferences, and her first book, So You Want to Sing Spirituals, demonstrate the breadth of her authority, as do the many recognitions of her expertise, such as grants and requests for interviews. Jones is dedicated to teaching, enhancing the discovery of this repertoire, and providing inspiration for future research, all of which highlight her impact as a dedicated scholar, library manager, and vocalist. 
 
Jones has been a consistent advocate for paraprofessional involvement in MLA and music libraries and has served as a role model, demonstrating how service by paraprofessionals improves the organization and the field.   

Jones acknowledged the role her years of library service played during her March 5 acceptance speech, “It’s been the last 17 years here at Grinnell College where I have been able to not only progress as a library staff person, but also as a scholar. Grinnell College supported my regular attendance at MLA conferences and involvement in the organization overall. I’ve had the opportunity to serve on various committees and interest groups and to initiate [MLA’s] Paraprofessional Interest Group.”