June 24, 2005 (EVANSTON, ILLINOIS) – Anne Masters of the Pioneer Library System in Norman, Oklahoma, is the winner of the first annual Joey Rodger Library Leadership Award, the Urban Libraries Council (ULC), sponsor of the award, announced today. Ms. Masters, Pioneer’s associate director of system services, will be awarded $5000 to attend Heartland Center for Leadership Development and then develop a similar program for the system’s branch managers and administrative staff, preparing them for roles as partners and leaders in community development.
Ms. Masters’ application was inspired by the rapid growth of Cleveland County and the struggle to survive and maintain identity by the smaller towns in all the counties served by Pioneer. “The library’s service area includes small towns that are being subsumed into the Oklahoma City metroplex. They’re in an identity crisis,” she said. “With the proper training, PLS branch libraries can contribute to viability and growth of these communities and become key resources in their development.”
In October 2005, Ms. Masters will receive training at the Heartland Center. After sharing the training with Pioneer colleagues, she’ll organize a one- to two-day conference on community development with library staff and community leaders. Results of the conference will be used to create a system-wide action plan and a series of workshops. Ultimately, a report will be developed to share with communities, ULC members and other libraries.
“Anne’s plan captures the true spirit of the Joey Rodger Award,” said Martín Gómez, president of the ULC. “She’s using the funds in a way that focuses leadership knowledge on making a difference in neighborhoods and communities and spreading it throughout the library industry.
Leadership development is a key initiative of the ULC, with the Joey Rodger Award as one of a number of programs available to organization members. It was established in 2004 to honor Eleanor Jo “Joey” Rodger, who led the ULC from 1992 to 2004. Fund organizers raised more than $50,000 in donations from individuals and institutions wishing to honor Rodger’s significant contributions to the library industry. Donations, which are tax deductible to the fullest extent of the law, can still be made by sending a check or pledge to Bridget Bradley at the Urban Libraries Council, 1603 Orrington Avenue, Suite 1080, Evanston, IL 60201-5000.
About the Urban Libraries Council
For more than 30 years the Urban Libraries Council (ULC) has worked to strengthen public libraries as an essential part of urban life. A membership organization of North America’s premier public library systems and the corporations that serve them, the ULC serves as a forum for sharing best practices resulting from targeted research, education and forecasting. The ULC’s programs are acclaimed for inspiring new organizational models that invigorate urban libraries and enrich the areas surrounding them. The ULC is headquartered in Evanston, Illinois. For more information, visit the group on the Web at www.urbanlibraries.com.
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