Augustyn, Frederick J., Jr. 1951- (Fred Augustyn)

PERSONAL:

Born August 4, 1951, in Stamford, CT; son of Fred (a firefighter) and Helen (a homemaker) Augustyn. Education: Boston University, B.A. (summa cum laude), 1973; University of Maryland at College Park, M.L.S. and M.A., both 1983, Ph.D., 1996. Religion: Roman Catholic. Hobbies and other interests: Political campaign collectibles, recreation history, popular culture, linguistics.

ADDRESSES:

Home—Greenbelt, MD. Office—Library of Congress, 101 Independence Ave. S.E., Washington, DC 20540. E-mail—[email protected].

CAREER:

Library of Congress, Washington, DC, cataloging specialist, reference librarian, and historian, 1984—, tour guide and docent, 1992—, volunteer services specialist, 2004. Smithsonian Institution, docent at National Museum of American History, 1997-2006; Veterans History Project, interviewer, 2004—.

MEMBER:

American Historical Association, Organization of American Historians, Social Science History Association, Society of American Archivists, American Association for State and Local History, American Library Association, Popular Culture Association (chair of senior culture area, 2006—), Asian Pacific American Librarians Association, Library of Congress Professional Association (coordinator of public services, 2002-03; president, 2004-05).

AWARDS, HONORS:

Volunteer of the Year Award, Library of Congress Professional Association (LCPA), 2001; On-the-Spot Award, Library of Congress, 2001, 2007; Vanguard Award, LCPA, 2006.

WRITINGS:

Dictionary of Toys and Games in American Popular Culture, Haworth Press (Binghamton, NY), 2004.

Contributor to dictionaries and other reference books, including American National Biography, Oxford University Press (New York, NY). Contributor of articles and book reviews to periodicals, including Journal of Popular Culture, New York Review of Books, and Polish American Studies. Cognotes (publication of the American Library Association), reporter, 2002—, editor, 2007—.

SIDELIGHTS:

Frederick Augustyn told CA: "I have long been an inveterate note taker and view publication as a way to share my research and interpretations with others. Rather than permit my own personal archives to proliferate too greatly, producing for publication allows me (as well as others) easy access to my observations. Writing offers me an outlet for creativity as well as a way to leave a tangible legacy of accomplishment. I enjoy the marketplace of ideas that characterizes the American polity and read widely and eclectically. My own compositions tend to be on diverse topics."