We are delighted to announce that David Sewell, Manager of Digital Initiatives and the Rotunda Imprint at the University of Virginia Press, has won The Association for Documentary Editing's 2021 Lyman H. Butterfield Award. The award, presented in memory of Lyman Henry Butterfield, whose editing work included contributions to The Papers of Thomas Jefferson, the Adams Family Papers, and the The Letters of Benjamin Rush, was given in recognition of Sewell's creative and groundbreaking innovations in scholarly editing and documentary publication, which have made possible the widespread digital publication of scholarly editions.

Rachel Monroy, Chair of the Butterfield Award Committee, said in her presentation remarks:

"David began as a manuscript editor at the University of Virginia Press in 1999 and when the Press made a decision in 2002 to create a 'digital imprint' called Rotunda, David took on the role as Editorial and Technical Manager, establishing, staffing, and managing the new digital initiative. As the nominator wrote: 'David can be credited for some of the most creative and field-changing innovations of the last quarter century in scholarly editing and documentary publication.' He oversaw the development of technical standards for publishing 'born digital' editions like Th**e Dolley Madison Digital Edition and The Papers of Eliza Lucas Pinckney and Harriott Pinckney Horry. His knowledge of both scholarly editing and the possibilities of digital publishing also allowed for the transformation of dozens of print volumes of the papers of Franklin, Washington, Adams, Jefferson, Madison, and Hamilton into the National Archives online publication Founders Online. David was active in adopting the TEI standards making a profound impact on the way in which we now imagine and practice publishing historical and literary documents.

"As digital publication has become increasingly central to the discipline of documentary editing, it is important that we recognize one of its early pioneers. Without David's work in the field the ease and frequency of digital publication today would not be possible."

Congratulations to David!