OITP seeks cutting-edge technology practices for 2010

Last year not a single school librarian submitted a nomination for ALA’s Office for Information Technology Policy (OITP) inaugural Cutting Edge Technology Practices recognition.  I know this for a fact.  I was on the Committee and helped develop the program.

Let’s turn it around this year and point to school library practices that are ahead of the pack.

Please respond to this press release and nominate the worthy cutting edge ideas and programs out there in the school library world.

Please consider nominating yourself.

Washington, D.C. – The American Library Association (ALA) Office for Information Technology Policy (OITP) is once again soliciting nominations for best library practices using cutting-edge technology.

Last year, OITP’s America’s Libraries for the 21st Century Subcommittee launched the “cutting-edge” contest to showcase libraries that serve their communities with novel and innovative methods and to provide the library community with some successful models for delivering quality library services in new ways.

Christine Lind Hage, chair of the subcommittee, said the wide response to the 2009 call was so inspiring, the subcommittee knew another contest was in order. Last year, three libraries were cited for their outstanding work.

“These winners showed that libraries of all sizes can do innovative projects that are worthy of replication across library types,” Hage said.

“With all the creative technological work being done in libraries, I’m sure that this year we’ll see some exciting apps, projects or services that we’ll want to showcase.”

Nominations should be sent to the American Library Association, Office for Information Technology Policy, 1615 New Hampshire Avenue NW, 1st Floor, Washington, D.C. 20009 or to ainouye@alawash.org by November 1, 2010.  Details for the nomination process are available on the http://www.ala.org/ala/aboutala/offices/oitp/cuttingedge/index.cfm OITP website.

The subcommittee will review all nominations and conduct selected interviews or site visits to identify those libraries that are truly offering a best practice or most innovative service.  Libraries or library service areas selected will be publicized via the OITP website, highlighted through ALA publications, and featured in a program at the ALA Annual Conference in 2011.

For questions, contact:
Christine Lind Hage, Director
Rochester Hills Public Library
500 Olde Towne Road
Rochester, MI 48307-2043
248/650-7122
Christine.Hage@rhpl.org

Filed under: ala, libraries, teacher librarians, technology