(via Gwen Gregory, IACRL Past President)
ACRL announces the recipients of the 2017 Excellence in Academic Libraries Award: Miami Dade College Learning Resources, Miami, Florida; Columbia College Chicago Library, Chicago, Illinois; and Santa Clara University Library, Santa Clara, California. Sponsored by ACRL and GOBI Library Solutions from EBSCO, 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.
The Columbia College Chicago Library, winner of this year’s award in the college category, was chosen for its creative ways of engaging with the campus community.
“Columbia College Chicago Library is a very different kind of college library,” noted Williams. “It is reflective of student culture, and creativity, experimentation, and innovative thinking are paramount. Some of the recent highlights include the Sketchbook Project, the Little Indie Press Festival, the Library Gaming Society, Edible Books, Flying Books, and Frankentoys.”
“We also appreciated that all of their programming encourages conversation and interaction among its diverse, vibrant population,” Williams added. “It is a creative and intellectual center for students, faculty, and the broader community alike.”
“I cannot tell you how thrilled I am to learn of this award honoring our innovative and dedicated staff members’ good work and the support of our college,”said Jan Chindlund, library dean at Columbia College Chicago. “Our work has evolved over the years; we stand on the shoulders of all who have worked here before to create services, develop collections, engage with our community, and maximize resources. Thank you for this recognition.”
Each winning library will receive $3,000 and a plaque, to be presented at an award ceremony held on each recipient’s campus.
Additional information on the award, along with a list of past winners, is available on the ACRL website.