Publication Date
Summer 2007
Abstract
Message from Jay:
Telling our story – the story of UMass Amherst Libraries – is essential to building a community of support among students, parents, alumni, and corporate sponsors. The story is a simple one. UMass Amherst Libraries exist to support students andfaculty; teaching and research. Funding from the Commonwealth provides baseline support for the library. Excellence is possible only with contributions from those of you who share our vision of providing outstanding library and informationresources, facilities, and services to outstanding students and faculty. How do we tell the story of UMass Amherst Libraries? Sometimes friends like Governor Deval Patrick, UMass President Jack Wilson, and UMass Amherst Provost Charlena Seymour drop by to help. More usually, this newsletter, the annual report, press releases, and the library website are our primary venues. Over the past several years, the quality of these “products” has gained the attention of you, our readers, the campus community and even the national library community. This month, the Massachusetts Library Association (MLA), as part of its 18th Biennial Public Relations Awards, acknowledged the excellence of UMass Amherst Libraries’ publications by awarding us with First Place in the category Annual Reports, and Second Place in the Newsletter category. It is too easy for the library director to say “us.” Usually, when I say “us” I mean the more than 125 library staff and more than 200 students who provide the excellent level of performance that results in the many services you expect and appreciate from UMass Amherst Libraries. In this case, the award-winning “us” is Emily Silverman (Director of Library Development andCommunication), Leslie Schaler (Communications Assistant), and Susan McBride (Administrative Support). These are the three individuals who are most responsible for “telling our story.” In this Newsletter, you will see their magic at work yet again. But ask them and they will say the “magic” is “students and faculty” and the tremendous support received from each and every one of you.
Most appreciatively,
Jay Schafer
Director of Libraries