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August 22, 2005

Pat McGuckin
Randy Nehrt

Illinois State Library Wins Two Illinois Library Association Awards

SPRINGFIELD — Secretary of State and State Librarian Jesse White has announced that the Illinois State Library has been selected by the Illinois Library Association to receive two of the organization's annual awards honoring excellence in Illinois library service.

White said the State Library Automation and Technology Division has been named one of two winners of the Hugh C. Atkinson Memorial Award sponsored by DEMCO. Illinois State Library Youth Services and LSTA grant consultant Karen Egan was named winner of the Davis Cup Award for Youth Services sponsored by the Youth Services Forum and Franklin Watts.

Winners were selected from nominations made by their peers in the library field. Award winners will be honored at a reception and award ceremony to be held in October at the Illinois Library Association Annual Conference in Peoria.

"I am proud to congratulate State Library Director Anne Craig and her outstanding staff on receiving these two well-deserved awards," White said. "The State Library Automation and Technology Division has been a national leader in employing technology to provide citizens and libraries with greater access to information. Through the development and nurturing of such initiatives as Find-it! Illinois, the Illinois Digital Archives, the Statewide Illinois Library Catalog and the ILLINET/OCLC library network, the Automation and Technology Department is helping libraries better serve patrons and giving patrons a gateway to timely and reliable information that enriches and enhances their lives.

"As a member of the State Library Development Group, Karen Egan has been instrumental in the success of Project Next Generation, my mentoring program for young people that is run through public libraries, and Family Reading Night, an annual event sponsored by my office that encourages adults to set aside time to read to children. Karen also works closely with school librarians in the annual awarding of school library per capita grants to elementary and secondary schools in Illinois.

"The Illinois State Library is much more than the official library for state government officials and employees. The State Library is committed to making Illinois government information more accessible to citizens, and providing a network of 4,000 public, academic, school and special libraries in Illinois with important tools and resources to serve patrons. These awards are a shining testament to the success the Illinois State Library is achieving in meeting those important goals."