James Madison University receives RUSA Gale Cengage Learning Award

NEWS

For Immediate Release<?xml:namespace prefix = o ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" />

March 31, 2008

Contact: Eileen Hardy

RUSA Marketing Specialist

312-280-4398

<?xml:namespace prefix = st1 ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags" />James Madison University receives RUSA Gale Cengage Learning Award

CHICAGO ¾ James Madison University, Libraries and Educational Technologies, Harrisonburg (Va.), is the 2008 recipient of the Gale Cengage Learning Award for Excellence in Reference and Adult Services awarded by the Reference and User Services Association (RUSA), a division of the American Library Association (ALA). It is receiving the award for its “Research Databases and Resources” (http://www.lib.jmu.edu/resources).

The $3,000 award and citation donated by Gale Cengage Learning, recognizes a library or library system for developing an imaginative and unique library resource to meet patrons' reference needs.

“James Madison University’s Libraries and Educational Technologies’ Research Databases and Resources Web site is a unique, innovative discovery tool for the university’s students, faculty and staff,” said Kathy Tomajko, award committee chair. “It organizes library databases and resources and enhances the library’s ability to reach out to its users. Library subject experts can easily customize the website for a particular campus discipline, a class, or syndicate it to a course management system.”

“As with so many library projects, James Madison University’s Libraries and Educational Technologies Research Databases and Resources Web site was and is truly a collaborative effort,” said Jody Condit Fagan, digital services librarian at James Madison University. “Each of the library’s subject experts contributes time and intellectual effort to creating and maintaining their subject areas on the site, as well as providing ongoing suggestions for improvement and further development. We plan to continue to develop this system, making it even better for library patrons and even easier for librarians to maintain.”

The award will be presented at RUSA Awards Ceremony 4 to 6 p.m. on June 30, during the ALA Annual Conference in Anaheim (Calif.).