Winner of 2001 Loleta D. Fyan Grant announced

Contact: Mary Jo Lynch


312-280-4273

ALA News Release


For Immediate Release


April 2001

Winner of 2001 Loleta D. Fyan Grant announced

Parsippany-Troy (N.J.) Hills Public Library, has been awarded the 2001 Loleta D. Fyan Grant for their proposal entitled, "Click on the Library: Evaluating the Video Format and Library Usage." This project will enable the library to evaluate the success of a recent public relations effort that informs people about the library and encourages use.

The library created a 30-minute magazine-format cable television show using the school district's staff and equipment, and featured members of the community as guests. The show aired on both a public access channel and an educational channel.

The Fyan Grant will enable the library to find out if the television program made a difference in the community's level of library use and determine if the aired segments match the information needs of the community. Social Science Research Associates at Drew University are designing a survey to evaluate the success of the program and will guide the staff's use of it.

"The Fyan Grant Jury is pleased to present the 2001 grant to the Parsippany-Troy Hills Public Library," Jury Chair Eva Poole said. "We admired the work done at the library to reach out to the community through cable television and their plans to carefully evaluate its impact. Sound evaluation is essential before we can know if televising the library's services is a viable public relations tool."

This $10,000 grant, given annually, is named for Loleta D. Fyan, a former American Library Association (ALA) president (1951-52). The grant supports a project that will develop and/or improve public library services, effect changes that are innovative and responsive to the future and has potential for broader impact and application beyond a specific local need. Applicants can include, but are not limited to, local, regional or state libraries and associations or organizations, including ALA units, library schools or individuals.

For guidelines and a list of previous winners see the ORS award
website.