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Innovation and Creativity: Nicole Hennig
Our first Innovation and Creativity Award goes to someone who was described by one of a nominator as a "master chef." As such, she has brought many skills to her concoctions, including the ability to both articulate a clear vision and strategize its fulfillment, while serving the many conflicting needs and desires of users and staff. Her work on the website redesign has included usability testing, needs assessment, benchmarking, training, and above all, community input. Another nominator says that by giving us VERA, "she has revolutionized the provision of digital resources," serving both public access and internal management. Her patience and good humor have been instrumental in bringing the Libraries from chaotic web adolescence to uniform web maturity. The public face of the MIT Libraries, via the web, is something we look to with pride. It is impossible to imagine this ongoing accomplishment without the efforts of Nicole Hennig.
Communication and Collaboration: Sarah Shreeves
An award for Communication and Collaboration goes to an individual who has been a long time contributor in the MIT Libraries. This individual has excelled in building successful teams through her vision, leadership, and ability to translate goals into action. Both as chair of the processing committee and as the supervisor of the Dewey/Hum processing team, this individual provided valuable leadership, and coordinated the efforts of many different groups in the context of shared goals and shared understanding. This individual's work as project manager for the Third Barton Transition Project not only demonstrates commitment and resilience in the face of change, but also demonstrates this individual's ability to make connections between individual and teamwork and the Libraries' mission, to foster productive working relationships, and to contribute effectively to group purpose and progress. All of these efforts contributed to sustaining and improving service in the MIT Libraries, and the positive effects of these efforts will continue for a long time to come. As one nominator states, "She has pulled together a process so successfully inclusive that not only are staff from every corner of the libraries participating, but many of these staff have decision-making authority uncommon on projects of this scope." For her continued achievements in the MIT Libraries Sarah Shreeves is the recipient of the first individual award for Communication and Collaboration.
Results, Outcome, and Productivity: Christine Moulen
The award for Results, Outcome and Productivity goes to someone who has contributed greatly through the years to keeping the online catalog system up and running. More recently, however, she has performed an outstanding service to internal and external customers by helping evaluate and implement a new system. She has worked with the Third Barton groups, incorporating their ideas and translating goals into action while continuing to provide support to staff. She was described by her peers as "unfailingly patient, gracious under fire, and generous with her time and knowledge". Staff and users alike rely on her high quality service and dedication to her job. With this award we recognize Christine Moulen for her special contributions to 3rd Barton.
Community: Forrest Larson
An award in the fourth area, Community, goes this year to an individual who contributes to all of us in the MIT Libraries community. This individual has contributed for over ten years, providing "behind the scenes" support and initiative for a major annual event. His efforts, which are above and beyond his regular job responsibilities, give us a chance to see our colleagues in a far different way. As one nominator put it, "ÖThe talents of the musicians amaze me and give me the proud sense I work here, too!" For major ongoing contributions to enhancing our cultural work environment and enjoyment, for helping us know each other a little differently, for helping us let our hair down and enjoy the many diverse talents and contributions from a number of our fellow staff. His work in coordinating the annual IAP Library Staff concert is a fine example of how we build communities and work together. In appreciation of this contribution, Forrest Larson is this year's recipient of the Community Award.
Innovation and Creativity: Digital Reference Pilot Project Subgroup
Our first Team Award for Innovation and Creativity goes to a sub-group which has, as one nominator put it, "chosen to be on the bleeding edge of a new technology." When they first proposed it, almost no one was doing Digital Reference. The conception, planning, and delivery of a pilot project involved selection and beta-testing of software, training for software use, cross-training for system-wide reference service, and coordination of an implementation team. These four trailblazers have also spoken before numerous groups within the profession. User response to this pilot has been extremely positive. The Libraries are now on the threshhold of integrating Digital Reference into our public service package. For their foresight, bravery, creativity, and collaborative skills, we honor the Digital Reference Pilot Project Subgroup: Pat Flanagan, Deborah Helman, Lisa Horowitz, and Sarah Wenzel.
Communication and Collaboration: Peer Cataloging Team Trainers
An team award for Communication and Collaboration goes to a team that adopted an interdisciplinary, collaborative approach for the training of new staff. Members of this team have incorporated a logical progression of difficulty, a revision process, and consultation with members of other sections to form a comprehensive training system. This training includes both national standards and local practice, and provides a valuable context for new staff members. Members of this group have transmitted to trainees their significant knowledge and experience, while also providing encouragement and support to foster productive working relationships and contribute to effective group purpose and progress. New staff members who have participated in this training program have gained the confidence to participate in group problem solving and special projects. One nominator mentions, "This boot camp for catalogersÖmakes them ready for new challenges," and has enabled new staff members to realize their full job potential. The Peer Cataloging Team Trainers, Ray Schmidt and Gordon Thomas, are the recipients of this year's Communication and Collaboration Award.
Results, Outcome, and Productivity: Archives Database Inventory Project Team
An award in the category of Results, Outcome and Productivity goes to a team of seven people who worked tirelessly for a period of approximately nine months. During this period they were pulling together what few staff in other departments may be aware of: a box-level inventory and searchable database of the records management collections. From virtually nothing on file, this database grew to a full 7000 records. This database of holdings, with the data constructed from scratch in many cases, was completed by the end of November 2000. The teamwork involved in this project involved not only intellect but also hard and dirty physical labor. As one nominator put it, staff "had to walk through rain, sleet, heat and snow to get this job done." The staff of this department who worked on this project constitute a team worthy of recognition for the category of results, outcome and productivity. Our thanks and congratulations go to the Archives Database Inventory Project Team: Liz Andrews, Ewa Basinska, Lois Beattie, Silvia Mejia, Jeff Mifflin, Nora Murphy, and Megan Sniffin-Marinoff.
Community: Third Barton Project Transition Team
The next team award goes to a group that was described by a nominator as "responsible for the MIT Libraries' future." This team developed strategies for effective teamwork by incorporating the knowledge of all library staff and by experimenting tirelessly to offer us a new integrated library system catalog. Their efforts will have a positive system-wide impact on both staff work and public services. For their contributions and hard work the Community Team Award goes to The Third Barton Project Transition Team: Darcy Duke, Michael Finigan, Charlene Follett, Erja Kajosalo, Georgiana McReynolds, Kim Maxwell, Christine Moulen, Walter Powers, Sarah Shreeves, and Beth Siers.
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L to R: Sarah Shreeves, Christine Moulen, Forrest Larson, Nicole Hennig, Director of Libraries, Ann Wolpert |
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Innovation and Creativity: Digital Reference Pilot Project Subgroup Seated: Sarah Wenzel. |
Communication and Collaboration: Peer Cataloging Team Trainers Gordon Thomas and Raymond Schmidt |
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Results, Outcome, and Productivity: Archives Database Inventory Project Team L to R: Liz Andrews, Megan Sniffin-Marinoff, Nora Murphy, Ewa Basinska, Lois Beattie, Silvia Mejia-Suarez |
Community: Third Barton Project Transition Team Front Row, L to R: Sarah Shreeves, Christine Moulen, Walter Powers, Charlene Follett, Georgiana McReynolds. |
