Cofrin Library has the honor of being selected as the Wisconsin Library Association’s Library of the Year! We couldn’t have done it without the support of our wonderful UWGB community…so thank you!
Here’s an excerpt from the Wisconsin Library Association website:
Library of the Year: David A. Cofrin Library, UW-Green Bay
The Wisconsin Library Association Awards and Honors Committee confers the 2012 Library of the Year award upon David A. Cofrin Library, UW-Green Bay.
UW-Green Bay’s founding chancellor Edward Weidner placed the Cofrin Library at the physical center of campus. During the past three years, director Paula Ganyard and the library staff have worked hard to make sure it is the heart of the university, as well.
To improve the user experience, the library has waived the interlibrary loan fee for students and instituted text messaging and instant messenger reference services along with the ability to text a call number to a smart phone. The library has also added an embedded librarian program, a virtual shelf browsing function, library instruction via Skype and a public services department to provide faculty, staff and students with more support for their research and learning.
Cofrin Library’s improved marketing efforts have paid off with higher gate counts, a 230% increase in ILL usage and a 25% increase in reference transactions during the past three years. They have partnered with on-campus entities to host freshmen orientation events, leadership programs, and a “Bash in the Stacks” party for 500 students! To reach out beyond campus, Cofrin participated in Community book projects with Brown County Public Library and hosted the Northeast Regional National History Day competition.
In addition to all these activities, the staff has worked to improve collections and the physical facilities and increase their participation in professional development. They have also become active fundraisers in order to move beyond the base budget. In partnership with University Advancement, the library was able to secure a generous donation to start the Robert L. Ganyard Library Endowment and triple it in the first year.
David A. Cofrin Library has much of which to be proud and is a great example of a Library of the Year.
