The Daily Bulletin Archive

In recognition of the excellent service that E. H. Butler Library provides to its patrons, the Western New York Library Resources Council (WNYLRC) gave the annual Outstanding Library Award to Butler Library in October.

“We are thrilled and delighted to receive this award,” saidMaryruth Glogowski, associate vice president for library and instructional technology, “especially during these times of fiscal challenge. It’s good for our staff to know that their hard work is recognized and respected.”

The award emphasizes service and pays tribute to creativity and innovation in program development, leadership in creating new or enhanced services that other libraries can emulate, and improvements in physical facilities that result in better service. The WNYLRC is a consortium of libraries and library systems serving six Western New York counties. Its members include academic, corporate, hospital, public, school, and special libraries.

Butler Library was recognized for a variety of innovative programs and services developed over the past year, including the Green Initiative program, which encourages environmental awareness and stewardship. Its activities include a workshop series that featured topics such as earth-friendly cleaning and recycling tips, and brought local community groups such as Urban Roots and Buffalo ReUse on campus. The Green Initiative team also established a Magazine Exchange Program with three stations in the library for patrons to drop off gently used magazines to share. Librarians have also created anenvironmental study guide to aid students researching environmental topics.

The Rooftop Poetry Club continues to attract new users to the library by holding poetry readings, open-mike events, and workshops. Its success serves as a model for other libraries.

“We work really well as a team,” said Lisa Forrest, who founded the Rooftop Poetry Club in 2005. “We couldn’t do this, or any of our initiatives, without the support of Maryruth and Maureen [Lindstrom]. It’s a very creative environment.”

A new “Ask Me” help desk, an extension of the successfulInformation Commons initiative, is set up in the library’s lobby during its busiest hours. It’s a place to get answers for quick questions, including directions. To navigate the library, colorful new posters have been hung throughout the library as a visual aid to help library patrons find books by subject. “This project was a partnership between the library and the Instructional Resources department,” said Forrest.

The library has also established an Applications Support Desk, which provides support for all software loaded on library computers. It also serves as an equipment loan center for the campus community.

“All these programs serve our patrons and further ourmission,” said Glogowski. “We hope that our colleagues in other area libraries can benefit from our experiences.”