ULA award recipients for 2004 are:
DISTINGUISHED SERVICE AWARD: Robert Murdoch Harold B. Lee Library BYU
For more than a decade, Robert has been a principle figure in developing strategies for consortia
sharing of academic library resources in Utah. His work has been essential to the success of the
Utah Academic Library Consortium, as well as the creation and growth of Academic Pioneer. In
addition to his administrative responsibilities at BYU, he guides the work of the Scholarly
Communication Crisis Steering Committee to promote awareness of subscription inflation that
“has far outstripped cost of living increases and even the increases in the cost of medical
services.” His efforts to develop guidelines by which this problem may be addressed will benefit
“everyone in the scholarly communications process” including libraries.
SPECIAL SERVICES AWARD: Steve Decker, Sue Harris, Suzanne Julian and Lori Nickerson Cedar
City Library
The dedication of a new public library in Cedar City was a major event in the 152-year history
of Iron County, a history highlighted by an unwavering faith in the importance of education and
the inestimable value of culture. Cedar City’s love of libraries began in 1909 with 500 books
and 22 feet of shelving in a rented room. Since then, as the population has grown, Cedar City
has seen a succession of new library buildings and ongoing improvement of library services.
By the early 1990's the Cedar City Memorial Library had been in need of repair or replacement. The old building did not measure up to the city's well-earned reputation for supporting education, culture, and the arts. Though there had been talk for many years, there was no movement
until 1995 when Sue Harris became the first in a series of Library Board Chairs determined to bring Cedar City the library its citizens needed and deserved. The names and years of service of these dedicated Library Board chairs follow:
- Sue Harris 1996-1997
- Lori Nickerson 1998, 2000-2001
- Suzanne Julian 1999
These women worked in many capacities; as board members, with the Library Friends, as well as serving as chairs of the board. Their combined influence provided power and motivation during the six years when the new library grew from a "good idea" into a finished city landmark. Their leadership and unwavering faith that a new library was vital to the well being of the community provided the needed momentum through six long years of planning that culminated in 2001 with a landslide vote in favor of a $6 million bond to build a new library. The staff, service, and collection of the "old" Memorial Library were bolstered and improved so that the new building would have an improved collection as well as trained and professional employees to match the new and improved building. Steve Decker became the new City Librarian during this period of time and his efforts continue to be vital in the ongoing improvement of the existing library's collection and staff. He has been a major force in the planning, design, and construction of the new Cedar City Library.
LIBRARIAN OF THE YEAR: Sue Randleman North Logan Library
As Director of the North Logan Library Sue Randleman has overseen a very successful building project that has resulted in a beautiful library for the residents of North Logan. Now the community has not only a library but also meeting space which is booked weeks in advance.
Sue deals with the unusual politics of Cache County in which library services are typically restricted to residents only. In the past few years residents of neighboring Hyde Park have been granted library privilege. In return, Hyde Park residents raised enough money to ensure their access to quality library service. Only recently were those residents unable to raise the money, but Hyde Park children continue to access, use, and checkout from the library through donations from the community.
Sue has built an active and successful Friends of the Library program that donates hundreds of hours to the library. The Friends have also been instrumental in the building project and other fund-raising projects.
But most impressive is the fact that Sue typically has over 100 children attend story time! With her extraordinary ventriloquism skills, Sue has delighted area children for years. While children in the area may not know who Olene Walker is, they almost certainly know who Quakerjacks is (the lead puppet in story time). The love for Quakerjacks and Sue is evident in the tremendous circulation figures following story times and the community support the North Logan Library enjoys.
SPECIAL RECOGNITION AWARD: Gerald Buttars Division Director of the Utah Library for the Blind
Jerry Buttars has been the Division’s Director of Utah Library for the Blind since 1967. He received a Bachelors Degree from Utah State University and a Masters Degree in Library and Information Science from Brigham Young University.
In his career of nearly 40 years, Jerry has seen the Library for the Blind and Disabled grow from 500 to 14,500 patrons.
Jerry is responsible for the establishment of the Multistate Center for the West, which is the western distribution center for Library of Congress, National Library Service for the Blind and Physically Handicapped; the Braille Center for the West which provides 18 states with Braille books. He has contracted with Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints for circulation of LDS materials in the U.S. and Canada; established the Utah Radio Reading Service, which broadcasts newspaper and magazine articles, as well as other programming of timely interest to the blind and disabled; and developed the Computer Braille Production Center, which produces Braille books and other materials of local interest for the blind.
Jerry also served as Executive Secretary of the Utah Library Association from 1972 to 1987. He has been a member of the Utah Library Association during his long career.
It was due to Jerry's efforts working with libraries and blind patrons that a new building was obtained and currently houses the Utah State Library Division.
Jerry presently serves on the Division of Services for the Blind and Visually Impaired Advisory Council, Special Curriculum Committee for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, and the Digital Long Term Planning Committee for the National Library Service for the Blind and Physically Handicapped.
GOVERNOR’S AWARD FOR THE PROMOTION OF READING: Carla Morris and Sharon Kuttler Provo City
Library
Carla Morris and Sharon Kuttler have oversight responsibility for 17 age-specific (0-5) and Hispanic story times per week, all employing the principles of emergent literacy. Provo Library is one of only eleven libraries in the country participating in a pilot program in literacy sponsored by the Public Library Association and the U. S. Department of Education. In conjunction with this two-year study, the library has provided emergent literacy training sessions for parents in English and Spanish and produced two videos (one commissioned by the Public Library Association) on the principles and practices of emergent literacy. Librarians from a number of libraries in the state have visited the facility to observe story time and incorporate the program at their own libraries. During the nine months that the library had story times last year, we had 43,488 participants for story times featuring Glenn Ryan Gilliam, Nathan Richardson, JoAnn Garlock, Maria Santos, and others.
During the summer months, Provo Library runs what could be the largest children's summer reading program in the state. Last year over 4,000 children participated in the program and over 1,500 finished the program. All participants were given a summer reading T-shirt celebrating the 100th anniversary of the Wright Brothers' first flight with a Take Flight in Reading logo.
In addition, one storyteller and three librarians have taken the MotherRead/FatherRead program to the local alternative high school and have provided facilities for local MotherRead/FatherRead training.
All of these programs have been initiated and implemented under the direction of Carla Morris, and could not have been so successful without the constant support of the Provo City Librarian Gene Nelson.
UTAH LIBRARY ASSOCIATION GOVERNOR’S AWARD FOR PROMOTION OF READING -
HONORARY RECOGNITION – Governor Olene Walker
Governor Olene Walker's "Read With a Child" is ambitious. It includes setting aside 20-minutes-a-day to read to a child but that’s just one component in the governor's literacy project. She also plans "story buses," a book of the month, summer reading programs and book festivals. She wants 90 percent of Utah's school kids to be reading at grade level or above by 2005.
During her tenure so far as governor, Olene Walker has taken many opportunities to highlight the importance of literacy and reading. When she discusses these issues she stresses the importance of families, schools and libraries to promote reading development for all Utah children. Walker says that she hopes to spend much of her time during her term promoting reading and continuing to demonstrate her commitment to reading in Utah.
Librarians share and appreciate Governor Walker’s passion for reading and proudly present her with the Governor’s Award for the Promotion of Reading - Honorary Recognition.
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