NCSU Libraries wins a Library of the Future Award

The NCSU Libraries has received the 2018 American Library Association (ALA) Information Today / Library of the Future Award in recognition of its innovative “Emerging Digital Information Skills Workshops.”

Part of a larger expansion of offerings at the Libraries, the workshops address an unmet need for instruction around emerging technical skills including data science, visualization, virtual reality, digital media production, fabrication, and the research enterprise. Participants from over 80 campus units have attended the workshops thus far.

“This award is truly about teamwork, reflecting the amazing and innovative workshop programming being done by so many across the NCSU Libraries,” says Jennifer Garrett, the NCSU Libraries Head of Digital Research Education & Training. “By focusing on emerging digital information skills instruction, we have been able to reach thousands of students, faculty, and staff, spanning the colleges and departments of our campus community and confirming our place as NC State's competitive advantage.”

The workshops serve as an entry point for users to connect with library spaces, technologies, and services for ongoing utilization. To extend its reach beyond campus, the Libraries openly license a substantial portion of workshop materials and share with the wider library community for reuse and adaptation.

“We developed this programming with the goals of bolstering student success, supporting career readiness, and incubating creative pedagogy,” Garrett wrote about the workshop series.

Many librarians worked with Garrett on this project, including the Libraries’ Data & Visualization Librarian Alison Blaine, Libraries Fellow Hannah Rainey, and Interim Department Head of Research Engagement Mira Waller.

The Libraries will be honored at an awards ceremony during the ALA Annual Conference in New Orleans in June.