Skokie Public Library named recipient of 2006 ASCLA/KLAS/NOD Award

Contact: Eileen Hardy


Marketing Specialist


312-280-4398


ehardy@ala.org

For Immediate Release


March 14, 2006

Skokie Public Library named recipient of 2006 ASCLA/KLAS/NOD Award

CHICAGO — The Skokie Public Library, Youth Services Department, is the 2006 recipient of the Association of Specialized and Cooperative Library Agencies (ASCLA) ASCLA/KLAS/NOD Award.

Donated by Keystone Systems, Inc., the $1,000 award and certificate is given to a library organization that has provided services for people with disabilities. The award is presented by ASCLA, a division of the American Library Association (ALA).

The Youth Services Department partnered with the Niles Township District of Special Education to form a Youth Services Special Needs Advisory Council to educate library staff about children with special needs, offer programs for the children and their families, present disabilities awareness programs for the general public, and bring students in special education classes to the library. The project was funded by a Library Services and Technology Act grant titled “Come On In: The Library Is a Special Place for Children with Disabilities.” The funds from the grant also provided for the addition of assistive equipment to enable all children access to library resources.

“‘Come On In! The Library is a Special Place for Children with Disabilities’ was started in December 2004 and continues to provide a remarkable array of adapted services for its target population,” stated Ruth O'Donnell, ASCLA award committee chair. “It is an outstanding example of the value of library and community agency partnerships developed to assure that everyone benefits from available library services.”

The award will be presented on June 24, 2006 from 12 p.m. to 1:30 p.m., at the ASCLA Awards Luncheon during the ALA Annual Conference in New Orleans.