UMass Libraries Win MLA Conference Public Relations Awards

NEWS RELEASE: FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE DATE: 6/4/09

CONTACT: LESLIE SCHALER, UMASS AMHERST LIBRARY (413) 545-0162

UMASS AMHERST LIBRARIES WIN

MASSACHUSETTS LIBRARY ASSOCIATION CONFERENCE

PUBLIC RELATIONS AWARDS

Amherst, MA - The UMass Amherst Libraries were recently recognized at the Massachusetts Library Association (MLA) 19^th Biennial Public Relations Awards in Springfield, Massachusetts for two outstanding publications. The UMass Amherst Libraries received First Place in the category of Bookmarks and Second Place in the category of Annual Reports. Danielle Kovacs of the library's Special Collections and University Archives accepted the recognition on behalf of the library at the Public Relations Awards Ceremony during the MLA Annual conference.

Winning print and online entries were chosen by a panel of independent judges from the public relations, press, and library fields. Evaluation criteria included graphic design, originality, and presentation. Over 100 entries were submitted in 20 categories.

In 2007, the UMass Amherst Libraries were honored by MLA for the Annual Report and Friends of the Library Newsletter. A PDF of the winning 2008 annual report is available at: http://xrl.us/annualreport.

Head of Special Collections Rob Cox designed a set of five "cookbookmarks" to illustrate and promote the Library's Beatrice A. McIntosh Cookery Collection, which has grown from 70 cookbooks to nearly 7,500 in ten years. For more information about the collection: http://www.library.umass.edu/spcoll/cookbooks/. To view the bookmarks: http://tiny.cc/bookmark562.

The Massachusetts Library Association advocates for libraries, librarians, and library staff, defends intellectual freedom, and provides a forum for leadership, communication, professional development, and networking to keep libraries vital. MLA has been working for libraries for over 100 years with some 1,000 members in the Commonwealth. For more information see www.masslib.org.

For more information, contact Emily Silverman at 545-0995, or essilverman@library.umass.edu.

Last Edited: 5 June 2009