The MLA Scholarships and Awards Committee is very pleased to announce that the winner of the 2011 Library Innovation of the Year Award is the Neil John Maclean Health Sciences Library staff for their “forward thinking in creating a place of learning with their recent library renovations and expansion.”

From the nomination letter: “Ada Ducas (Head of the Health Sciences Library, University of Manitoba), Carol Cooke and Tania Gottschalk led the Neil John Maclean Library staff on this project with a vision of creating an optimal place for the exchange of ideas for everyone who walked through the library doors.  Their determination and the hard work of all of the library staff ensured that the library renovations, which were completed in March 2011, created a place that is both functional and inspiring.”

The new, innovative space includes a new boardroom with both wired and wireless connections and up to the minute presentation technology as well as plenty of natural light and furniture that can be configured to suit different purposes.  There are also twelve new technologically enhanced study rooms; new spaces to showcase the unique collections of the Aboriginal Health Collection and the Faculty of Medicine Archives; a redesigned Information Commons with mobile technology friendly furniture, and a redeveloped private space for the document delivery and circulation staff.  Additionally, all librarians have their own offices with plenty of space for meeting clients.

Congratulations to the Neil John Maclean Library staff on this well deserved award.