Orange County Library System wins Wilson grant
Contact: Cheryl Malden
Program Officer
(312) 280-3247
cmalden@ala.org
For Immediate Release,
March 18, 2008
Orange County Library System wins Wilson grant
The American Library Association is pleased to announce that the Orange County Library System (Orlando, Fla.) is the 2008 winner of the H.W. Wilson Library Staff Development Grant. This award is presented annually to a library that demonstrates the greatest need for a staff development program that will further the goals and objectives of the library. The award is donated by the H.W. Wilson Company and consists of a citation and $3,500 to assist with the development of a library staff-training program.
The Orange County Library System (OCLS) will use the award to pilot a joint Ready, Set, Go support staff training program for OCLS staff as well as staff from the Osceola County Library System. The goal of this effort is to determine if this type of training can be offered to employees of other libraries in central Florida, thus promoting effective resource sharing. Also, it will help determine if individual institutional goals and policies are too different to provide meaningful regional training.
The Ready, Set, Go training enhances the participants' customer service skills, develops a better understanding of library services that are offered and broadens their knowledge through supplying added challenges and benefits. The program consists of a web based ALA RUSA (Reference and Adult Services Association) Reference Interview Program as well as facilitated sessions on how to evaluate print and online resources, reader's advisory and reference guidelines and providing quality customer service.
“The Orange County Library System is extending a successful support staff training program to another library that has the potential of extending to many other libraries in central Florida, said Robert R. Newlen, jury chair.
Members of the 2008 H.W. Wilson Staff Development Award committee are: Chair, Robert R. Newlen, Library of Congress, Washington, D.C.; Marcia L. Boosinger, Auburn University Libraries, Auburn, Ala; Alice S. Knapp, Ferguson Library, Stamford, Conn.; Richard Y. Kong, Skokie Public Library, Skokie, Ill.; and Monecia T. Samuel, State University of New York, Purchase College Library, Purchase, N.Y.
The H.W. Wilson Award will be presented on Tuesday, July 1, at the ALA Annual Conference in Anaheim, Calif.
The deadline for submission of applications for the 2009 H.W. Wilson Award is Dec. 1. Guidelines and application forms are available on the ALA Web site:
http://www.ala.org/ala/awardsbucket/wilsongrant/wilsongrant.htm.
