ACRL Excellence in Academic Libraries winners announced
Contact: Megan Bielefeld
ACRL Program Coordinator
312-280-2514
For Immediate Release
January 21, 2005
ACRL Excellence in Academic Libraries winners announced
CHICAGO - The Association of College and Research Libraries (ACRL) is pleased to announce the recipients of the 2005 Excellence in Academic Libraries Award. Sponsored by ACRL and Blackwell's Book Services, the award recognizes the staff of a college, university and community college library for programs that deliver exemplary services and resources to further the educational mission of the institution.
"Receiving an Excellence in Academic Libraries Award is a national tribute to a library and its staff for the outstanding services, programs and leadership they provide to their students, administrators, faculty and community," said Mary Ellen K. Davis, ACRL executive director.
This year's recipients are the Pierce College Library, Lakewood and Puyallup, Wash.; Mount Holyoke College Library, South Hadley, Mass.; and the University of Virginia Library, Charlottesville, Va.
The Pierce College Library, winner of the community college category, was recognized for being a national leader in outcomes assessment focused on student learning.
"Pierce College librarians and staff work as a team with faculty in achieving the five core elements of a Pierce education, particularly information literacy which enables students to achieve personal, academic and workplace goals," said Helen Spalding, chair of the 2005 Excellence in Academic Libraries Selection Committee.
"Pierce College Library is the only community college library in the nation to support an INTEL Computer Clubhouse, by leading an innovative collaboration with the local school district and city government to provide Computer Clubhouse members, age 10-18, with an opportunity to explore their creativity and learn how to learn."
Mount Holyoke College Library, winner of the college category, demonstrated excellence as a team in furthering the educational mission of its college.
"They have provided leadership in the college planning process; creatively combined the college's library, computing and media services; and designed new learning spaces and services," said Spalding.
"They exemplify the college library delivering services relevant to the needs of students and faculty in the new century."
The University of Virginia Library, is the winner of the university category, and was selected for its broad, deep and early innovation that has proven its effectiveness over time and is being emulated by other academic libraries as they reposition their services for the future.
"The University of Virginia librarians and staff collaborate in listening to and responding to student needs," said Spalding.
"They were one of the first to provide a coffee café in the library and to provide technology and technology skill development for faculty to integrate information technology into the curriculum.
They are leaders in collection digitization.
Through innovation, responsiveness and partnerships across campus, the University of Virginia Library furthers the university's mission with demonstrated outcome achievement."
Each winning library will receive $3,000 and a plaque, to be presented at an award ceremony held on each recipient's campus. The winners also will receive special recognition at the ACRL President's Program during the American Library Association (ALA) Annual Conference on Monday, June 27, 2005, at 1:30 p.m. in Chicago.
ACRL is a division of the American Library Association, representing 12,000 academic and research librarians and interested individuals. ACRL is the only individual membership organization in North America that develops programs, products and services to meet the unique needs of academic and research librarians.
Its initiatives enable the higher education community to understand the role that academic libraries play in the teaching, learning and research environments.
