Capital Area Library Assistants Interest Group

The Award is presented to a member of CALA to acknowledge outstanding service to their library and to the library community. The Capital District Library Council and the Capital Area Library Assistants are the official sponsors of the Award.  

The Outstanding Service Award is intended to promote the role and image of library assistants and support staff and recognize the importance of support staff in the library profession, in keeping with CALA’s goal to enhance a professional image of library support staff within the library community.

Nominees for the award must be individuals who have repeatedly demonstrated their commitment to service to their library, the library community, and the library profession.  The successful nominee transcends the normal definitions of excellence, going above and beyond the parameters of their job description to demonstrate exceptional leadership, innovation and problem-solving.

In their letter of support for her nomination, Laurie's colleagues cited her work in hiring, training and supervising over 50 new and returning students each year, and the many ongoing projects she's supervised, including inventory, shifting, and cleaning the Science Library Stacks. The letter also spoke highly of her ability to deal with difficult patrons through a variety of access points (in person, email and telephone) when they have billing issues. Her colleagues described the excellence way she is able to deal with patrons, clearly and concisely outlining their options for resolving any outstanding billing issues.    

The nomination letter also cited the collaborative work she have done in service to the Libraries and the University, including her committee work on the Circulation Working Group, the Circulation Council,

 the Library Appeals Committee, the Annual Recognition Luncheon committee, the Library Diversity Council, the University Bread and Roses Annual Luncheon, and the University Council of Women’s Groups, to name a few. 

In addition to her service on these many committees, her membership in CALA and the New York State Library Assistants Association speaks of her commitment to her own professional development as well as that of library assistants locally and across the state.   Her colleagues cited you as a mentor, a ‘go-to’ person in the Libraries, and one whose knowledge and experience are valued by faculty, staff, students and patrons alike.  They noted she often goes above and beyond her assigned responsibilities to promote a productive and pleasant workplace by arranging special events and participating in the recognition of student employees throughout the year.

In conclusion, her colleagues describe her as an outstanding employee who has contributed greatly to the training, productivity and positive climate within your department, providing innovative ideas for library services, encouraging the use of library resources in our community and promoting enhanced communication among all levels of staff.

Our Coordinating Committee to thank Laurie for her outstanding work and we are very proud to have her as one of our members.  Her achievements embody the ideals of CALA and her service to our community stands as a model for our profession.

Please join us in congratulating Laurie on her recognition!