Appleton Public Library Director Terry Dawson has been named the 1998 MCI Wisconsin Cybrarian of the Year. In announcing the award, MCI cited Dawson’s expertise, knowledge and dedication to the community. Dawson will receive a $1,000 donation from MCI toward library educational materials and one year of dial-up access to the Internet.
Dawson has been a leader in the use of computer technology to provide access to information and library services in the Fox Cities. He was a part of the initial efforts to form a community network, which ultimately grew into Fox Communities Online, serving as FOCOL Board President in 1995. He is the webmaster for the City of Appleton and the Green Apple Folk Music Society. He serves as the library representative on the Wisconsin Public Service Commission’s Universal Service Fund Council.
As far back as the early 1980’s, when personal computers were in their infancy, Dawson recognized their importance to library and information services. When the first Apple II computers were released, Dawson, as head of Reference Services, saw that the Appleton Public Library incorporated them into its service program. In 1985 the library became one of the first Wisconsin public libraries to offer mediated online searching to library patrons. Working with the Appleton Library Foundation, Library Board, and Outagamie Waupaca Library System, Dawson secured funding for providing internet access for the general public at the library. In 1995 Appleton Public Library became the first public library in Wisconsin to set up a Home Page on the internet.
Dawson believes that storing, organizing and retrieving information are essential functions both of libraries and computers. “As information technology progresses, greater amounts of knowledge are available electronically”, according to Dawson. “While print and the book will remain vital and viable for the foreseeable future, electronic resources increasingly play a part in the education process. Education is an essential function of society and a core role of public libraries.”
In accepting the award, Dawson made the following statement:
“I am pleased and gratified by the MCI Cybrarian of the Year Award. We will use the $1,000 cash grant for reference materials and children’s books. We may be doing more with new technology, but we are still our grandmothers’ library in many ways: we teach children the love of reading, we answer questions and we help people find a good book. But we are also doing some new and exciting things. Since the Library already has an Internet connection with seven public access workstations, the year of free Internet service will be donated by the Library to a community organization.
This award is really a recognition of a community effort. The achievements of the Library have been achievements of the staff as a whole and represent support from the Library Board of Trustees, the Appleton Library Foundation, our Friends group, and the Outagamie Waupaca Library System. Our Foundation has given us the financial means to provide innovative service. The OWLS organization, under Rick Krumwiede’s leadership, has been a library automation leader in this state. Rick and the OWLS staff have given me a tremendous amount of instruction and encouragement. This award highlights the quality of service and innovation throughout Outagamie and Waupaca counties.
Likewise, the Fox Communities Online (FOCOL) effort represents work by a lot of good people including Fox Valley Technical College, Convention and Visitors Bureau, Chamber of Commerce, schools and others. Support from the Community Foundation, FVTC Foundation, Secura and Miller Electric, among others, has helped FOCOL become a vital service. I feel fortunate to have worked with so many good librarians and community leaders. The APL staff is terrific in their expertise and their strong service orientation-we have had a team that has worked together to create innovative services. I particularly wish to thank Barbara Kelly, who has cooordinated our library automation effort for several years. I would like to dedicate this award to the memory of Harriet Tippet, a visionary and a friend as well as a fine librarian and online searcher. Harriet continues to inspire many of us.”
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last modified 9/4/98