Does your library have exciting, innovative ways to train your patrons about information technology?

The ALA/Information Today, Inc. Library of the Future Award honors an individual library, library consortium, group of librarians, or support organization for innovative planning for, applications of, or development of patron training programs about information technology in a library setting. The annual award consists of $1,500 and a 24k gold-framed citation of achievement.  All types of libraries are welcome to apply!

The 2018 award winner was the NCSU Libraries in Raleigh, N.C. for their active learning centered Emerging Digital Information Skills workshops which addressed a previously unmet need for instruction in areas like data science, visualization, virtual reality, digital media production, fabrication and introduced students and researchers to tools such as Tableau, Web VR frameworks, Jekyll, 3D printing and R programming.  Sessions gave a conceptual overview of the technology or process, provided a structured hands-on experience where participants learned by doing, and allowed time for participants to apply that learning through open-ended exploration and play.

Nominations should address the selection criteria, which “include the benefit to clients served; benefit to the technology information community; impact on library operations; public relations value; and the impact on the perception of the library or librarian in the work setting and to the specialized and/or general public.”  

ALA is currently accepting nominations for the 2019 Library of the Future Award: http://www.ala.org/awardsgrants/awards/213/apply.  The online application is to be submitted to ALA by February 1, 2019.  For additional information, contact Rene Erlandson, Award Jury Chair, [log in to unmask] or Cheryl Malden, ALA Governance Office, [log in to unmask].