For immediate release | April 10, 2012

NPR Library wins the ALA/Information Today, Inc. Library of the Future Award

CHICAGO — The American Library Association has named the Artemis training project from the NPR library the 2012 winner of the ALA/Information Today, Inc. Library of the Future Award. This award is presented annually to a library that demonstrates innovative planning and development of patron training programs about information technology in a library setting.

The Artemis project is a training program developed by Katie Daugert and Lauren Sin to teach NPR staff how to use a new internal database for audio archives and transcripts.

The program used an impressive variety of strategies, including librarian-produced online videos narrated by NPR journalists, an ongoing email campaign, large-scale posters throughout headquarters identifying and training key super-users and raising awareness about the database at editorial staff meetings. Additionally they provided in-person training sessions and a webinar to teach their users - NPR staff - how to search the database.

In selecting the Artemis training project for the award, the jury was impressed by how the program impacted the perception of the library at NPR. Sin and Daugert used a combination of traditional and innovative techniques in an impressive marketing and training tour de force. Because of their excellent work in promoting the features of this database, they attracted the attention of new and returning users. Their clients are based all over the world and include reporters, producers, editors, development staff, news executives and radio hosts. The videos created by the librarians continue to be used to train new employees and provide ongoing education for current users. One client wrote that the training videos were “…a major step forward in effective training – [they] are approachable, available when users are, and very instructive.” Other users enjoyed learning how to use date limiters, refine features and find needed quotes.

“The award caused a mini revolution among our co-workers and colleagues in NPR: for two days we kept receiving congratulatory notes; they are proud of the award because they know ALA and its worldwide prestige and reputation. You have elevated our library to be together with all the NPR award winning journalists,” said Laura Soto-Barra, senior librarian, NPR.

“This is a wonderful recognition of the librarians’ work. I remember being struck by how well they presented the training for Artemis, such that they moved aside the kinds of obstacles that get in the way of people learning new technology. The videos are fun, friendly, innovative and cognizant of the fears people may have (me among them) that they won't catch on,” said Keith Woods, vice president for diversity in news and operations, NPR.

During ALA jury deliberations, one juror commented: “The applicants did an excellent job using technology to train users, and their messages were clear, concise, easy to follow and appealing. The comments they included from end-users were very positive, and it appears that their efforts enhanced the reputation of the NPR Library.” Other members of the jury agreed.

Members of the 2012 ALA Information Today/Library of the Future Award Jury are: Ann Zeidman-Karpinski, University of Oregon, Eugene, Ore. (chair); Carol Anderson, University at Albany - SUNY, Albany, N. Y.; Janet Fore, Saint Mary’s College Cushwa, Notre Dame, Ind.; Deana Groves, Western Kentucky University, Bowling Green, Ky.; Virginia Steel, University of California, Santa Cruz, Santa Cruz, Calif.

The Library of the Future Award will be presented on Sunday, June 24, 2012, at the ALA Annual Conference in Anaheim, Calif. The deadline for submission of applications for the 2013 ALA/Information Today, Inc. Library of the Future Award is Dec. 1, 2012. Guidelines and application forms are available on the ALA website.

Contact:

Cheryl Malden