Cornell Library wins Excellence in Libraries Award

Cornell University Library has received the 2002 Excellence in Academic Libraries Award from the Association of College and Research Libraries (ACRL).

The award, which is co-sponsored by Blackwell's Book Services, recognizes the staff of a university 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, administrators, faculty and community," said Mary Ellen Davis, ACRL executive director.

In announcing the award to Cornell, Larry Hardesty, chair of the award selection committee, said "Cornell University Library undertook ambitious digitization projects and was willing to share lessons learned with the wider higher education community."

Sarah Thomas, Cornell's Carl A. Kroch University Librarian, said all kudos are due to the efforts of Cornell Library's staff, which works collaboratively and innovatively to excel in both traditional and cutting edge library services. "We are delighted to have been selected," she said. "Our library staff are creative and dedicated, with an unparalleled esprit de corps."

With 19 unit libraries and collections numbering nearly 7 million volumes, Cornell Library is one of the 10 largest academic research libraries in North America. The Excellence in Academic Libraries Award, consisting of $3,000 and a special citation, will be presented to the library staff and Cornell President Hunter Rawlings on April 24 in a ceremony on campus.