HomeGale Cengage Learning Financial Development Award recipient nam

Contact: Cheryl Malden
Program Officer
(312) 280-3247
cmalden@ala.org

For Immediate Release,
March 4, 2008

Gale Cengage Learning Financial Development Award recipient named

CHICAGO - The Elmont Public Library in Elmont, N.Y. is the winner of the prestigious Gale Cengage Learning Financial Development Award. The announcement was made by Lydia M. Acosta, chair of the ALA jury appointed to adjudicate applications submitted for consideration of this award.

This annual award is presented to a library organization for exhibiting meritorious achievement in carrying out a project to secure new funding resources for a public or academic library. When advised of the library's successful award application, Board President Maria Gregori indicated the board and library staff were very proud to have been selected.

A new library-which opened its doors in September 2006-was constructed around an existing junior high school auditorium and restored into a theatre of professional standards. Further plans consisted of leasing the auditorium to a local theatre company and included provisions in the lease for the company to have three annual performances, dedicating the revenues to fund library projects. The board of trustees appointed a fundraising committee to create a development plan. The committee quickly identified two initial projects for which funds would be raised: create an Early Childhood Learning Center in the library and fund college scholarships for local high school graduates. The first fundraiser generated $3,800 and other performances are scheduled to follow.

“The Gale Cengage Learning award jury members saw this innovative financial development plan not only as a sustainable fundraising program for the Elmont Public Library, but also a model for other libraries in the future,” Acosta said.

Members of the 2008 Gale Cengage Learning Financial Development Award Jury are: Lydia M. Acosta, East Baton Rouge Parish Library, La.; Christopher J. Cronin, University of Colorado, Boulder; Jeffrey DiScala, student, Hyattsville, Md.; Kathy C. Leeds, Wilton Library Association, Wilton, Conn.; and Amy E. Wallace, California State University-Channel Islands.

The Gale Award will be presented on Tuesday, July 1, at the ALA Annual Conference in Anaheim, Calif.

The deadline for submission of applications for the 2009 Gale Cengage Learning Financial Development Award is Dec. 1. Guidelines and application forms are available on the ALA Web site: http://www.ala.org/ala/awardsbucket/galecengageaward/galecengageaward.htm.