ACRL Excellence in Academic Libraries winners announced
Contact: Megan Griffin
ACRL Program Coordinator
(312) 280-2514
mgriffin@ala.org
NEWS
For Immediate Release
January 26, 2010
CHICAGO — The Association of College and Research Libraries (ACRL) is announcing the recipients of the 2010 Excellence in Academic Libraries Award: The Bucks County Community College Library, Newtown, Pa.; the A.C. Buehler Library at Elmhurst College, Elmhurst, Ill.; and the Indiana University Bloomington Libraries. Sponsored by ACRL and YBP Library 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, faculty, administrators and community,” said ACRL Executive Director Mary Ellen K. Davis. “It is wonderful to learn of the innovative programs and services being offered by these three exemplary institutions.”
The Bucks County Community College Library, winner in the community college category, was cited for its commitment to assessment, collaboration and development efforts.
“The selection committee was impressed with the library’s commitment to areas often underrepresented in community college libraries, including fundraising and development,” said Julie Todaro, chair of the 2010 Excellence in Academic Libraries Selection Committee and dean of library services at Austin Community College. “In addition to demonstrating excellent public relations and marketing efforts, the library also provided a solid assessment of programs and services. Their productive partnership with IT was also noteworthy.”
“We at Bucks County Community College are delighted to have been selected as the recipient of the ACRL Excellence in Academic Libraries Award in the community college category,” said Maureen McCreadie, dean of learning resources. “We have long sought to collaborate, within Learning Resources, across the institution and with other colleges and professional organizations, to provide services in support of the College's mission. That doing what we love, and following our convictions has led to receiving this prestigious award from the ACRL is a bonus beyond our imagining. Recognition from ACRL is truly an honor."
The A.C. Buehler Library at Elmhurst College, winner of this year’s award in the college category, impressed the selection committee with its strategic planning initiatives and focus on student engagement.
“Buehler Library demonstrated an excellent program for outreach to classroom faculty and articulated the link between library planning and activities to the institution’s strategic plan,” Todaro noted. “The selection committee admired the integration of gaming into student engagement activities, along with the library’s focus on student development programs and services.”
"We are delighted to have been selected for this year's award,” said Susan Swords Steffen, director of the library at Elmhurst College. “We have been successful in creating an excellent library because everyone is committed to flexibility, risk taking, pitching in when and where they are needed and embracing new challenges and opportunities as they arise. I am proud and pleased to work with this fine group of library professionals who have worked hard to create an excellent library for the students and faculty of Elmhurst College: a library that is central to the life of the college and a model for small college libraries."
Indiana University Bloomington Libraries, winner of the university category, was noted for its commitment to implementing a wide range of changes to improve student learning.
“The library’s wonderful six-year commitment to, and process for, library programs and service changes impressed the selection committee,” said Todaro. “They demonstrate excellent leadership by focusing on student engagement activities and student learning. Their excellent assessment programs include a clear sense of value, importance and impact of library programs and services.”
"Receiving this honor is a testament to the dedication and hard work of our librarians and staff at every level,” said Carolyn Walters, interim Ruth Lilly dean of university libraries at Indiana University Bloomington.
“At a time when the nature of libraries is changing so swiftly and dramatically, this award is welcome recognition that we are not only responding to these changes in a positive way, but also leading by example."
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/LLAMA joint awards program during the 2010 ALA Annual Conference at 8:30 a.m. on Saturday, June 26, in Washington D.C.
Additional information on the award, along with a list of past winners, is available online at
http://www.ala.org/ala/mgrps/divs/acrl/awards/excellenceacademic.cfm.
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ACRL is a division of the American Library Association, representing nearly 13,000 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.
