PALCI is thrilled to announce its 2021 community award winners who were nominated by their peers for outstanding service to their library or their community.

Award winners were recognized as part of the PALCI “I CLAP” Awards and Community Recognition Ceremony, which was held virtually via Zoom on Wednesday, September 29. The event is an annual opportunity to publicly thank and recognize the contributions of the members of our community who make PALCI the vibrant, supportive, and forward-thinking consortium that has been for over 20 years. Each winner also received a $100 VISA gift card provided by the meeting’s generous sponsors.

I CLAP Award Winner: Sara Baron – University Librarian, Duquesne University

Nominator: Anne Krakow – Library Director, Post Learning Commons and Drexel Library, Saint Joseph’s University

Sara Baron served as the leader for PALCI’s Implementation Task Force for the recently created report from the Future Framing Task Force (FFTF). The FFTF devised a new Mission, Vision and Values for PALCI, including an ambitious plan for PALCI’s future. Sara took on the job with consideration, humor, and a great sense of organization. While I hesitate to compare my fellow Board members to cats, Sara did a wonderful job of “herding” us and keeping us on track.

I CLAP Award Winner: Catherine Langholff – Reference/Instruction Librarian, Cairn University

Nominator: Stephanie Kaceli – Director, Masland Library, Cairn University

In spring 2020, the library created a textbook finder tool to get to the e-text or request scans. Although Cairn was primarily in-person during the 2021 academic year, Catherine Langholff continued to refine the list – basing it off of required texts, comparing with our holdings, and passing the titles to be considered for purchase. Course reserves and statistics are now part of the process. The list is searched by course or book info with links to purchase or find library access. Now, each semester’s list will be sent to faculty for textbook selection, giving them a clear view of what is held by the library. I knew the tool was a hit when a student said “I love the library because they have this list of textbooks, and I have saved so much money. It is awesome!”

I CLAP Award Winner: Adam Malantonio – Digital Initiatives Developer, Lafayette College

Nominator: Charlotte Nunes – Director, Digital Scholarship Services, Lafayette College

Adam Malantonio, Digital Initiatives Developer, plays an essential leadership role building and stewarding the open-source library technologies that allow faculty and students to undertake exciting, ambitious digital scholarship initiatives on our campus, including the award-winning Queer Archives Project and the in-process, student-led Association of Black Collegians Archives Project. An exceedingly creative, resourceful, and skilled developer, Adam built out the Lafayette Digital Repository for faculty publications and special collections using the Samvera suite of open-source repository components, significantly advancing sustainability and digital preservation for valuable campus digital assets.

I CLAP Award Winners:
Carrie Pirmann – Social Sciences Librarian, Bucknell University
Melissa Rycroft – Client & Application Support Specialist, Bucknell University

Nominators:
Katherine Furlong – Executive Director, Research Services and Digital Scholarship, Bucknell University
Jill Hallam-Miller – Director, Research Services & Information Literacy, Bucknell University

We nominate Carrie Pirmann and Melissa Rycroft for their extraordinarily successful co-leadership of Bucknell’s L&IT Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Council (LIT DEI).

After surveying L&IT staff to determine needs, they have created a rich suite of opportunities to improve staff skills. Leading with compassion and caring, Carrie and Melissa’s work has made our organization more aware of and responsive to DEI issues on and off-campus. Key to their success has been advancing the idea that the work to systemically review all aspects of our work with a DEI lens is a shared mandate. We each must become leaders in moving the organization and profession forward to inclusive excellence.