Annual Library Award Highlights Kiwi Innovation

Annual Library Award Highlights Kiwi Innovation

From Southland to Auckland 3M's 2002 Award for Innovation in Libraries has uncovered an array of exceptional Kiwi achievements.

Set up in conjunction with the Library and Information Association of New Zealand Aotearoa, the 3M award aims to promote excellence and innovation in library and information services.

Entries are based on any successful and innovative library or information services project that has significantly enhanced customer service.

Among the three finalists in this year's awards are two entries from Manukau City Libraries - "Tupu - Dawson Road Youth Library", by Theo ter Borg and Rosetta Reti Simanu, and "The Odyssey", by Kelly McKean and Gina Mullane. The third finalist is Christchurch City Libraries' "Calling the future today", by Damian Simpson and Nicki Moen.

Manukau Libraries is the second system to ever have 2 shortlisted entries.

Manukau City Libraries - "Tupu - Dawson Road Youth Library", by Theo ter Borg and Rosetta Reti Simanu TUPU fuses South Pacific and contemporary New Zealand forms with information
technology and focuses heavily on people (especially young people). There is heavy emphasis on the library as a meeting place where people can relax socialise and educate themselves and where information literacy programs and home work sessions take place.

Manukau City Libraries - The Odyssey", by Kelly McKean and Gina Mullane The Odyssey used innovative strategies to attract teenagers into a reading programme. This included the use of a slick marketing programme delivered through the internet, teenage magazines, wallet sized promotion materials, community notices on youth focused radio stations and the lure of earning
points to participate in an auction at the end of the programme

Christchurch City Libraries' "Calling the future today", by Damian Simpson and Nicki Moen.
The FINGERTIP Library combines library professionalism with call centre technology 7 days per week which would make full use of library electronic resources and resources. It also allowed customer choice for service (walk in, phone in, email, fax) where service levels would not differ. The fingertip library is designed to keep expanding with the vision of a 24/7
service in 2003.

3M Library Systems Marketing Specialist Saya Wahrlich says judges have had a tough task selecting this year's finalists, with entries encompassing a wide range of sectors including special libraries, tertiary, school and public libraries.

"The standard of entries has been phenomenal and we're really proud at 3M to support an industry that helps promote such outstanding innovation and achievement," she says.

Winners will be announced after their presentations at an award ceremony to be held in Wellington on Monday 18 November at the LIANZA "Winds of Change: Libraries in the 21st Century".

The 2002 winner will receive a $4000 cash grant towards professional development, while second place will receive $1000 and third place receives 3M products to the value of $500.

LIANZA congratulates all those who entered.

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