Law librarian and San José State University School of Information lecturer Virginia Tucker received the Liberty Bell Award from the Whatcom County Bar Association on May 5th in recognition of “her outstanding work in helping the public gain a better understanding of the law.” For the last five years, Tucker has served as Law Librarian at the Whatcom County Law Library. As a volunteer, she created websites for both the Whatcom County Bar Association and LAW Advocates, the local legal aid group. She also served for three years on the board of the Whatcom Dispute Resolution Center and has taught CLE workshops on legal research in Bellingham and Seattle. She is also a PhD student in the San Jose State / Queensland Gateway program.

The Liberty Bell Award has a rich history originating from the Michigan Young Lawyers. In the 1960s, they established an award to acknowledge outstanding community service. The criteria they established then are still used by Law Day programs across the country. The award recognizes a person or persons who have promoted better understanding of the rule of law, encouraged a greater respect for law and the courts, stimulated a sense of civic responsibility, and contributed to good government in the community.