Press Release

Project Manager of Library Automation for the Columbus Public Schools Receives INFOhio Leadership Award

COLUMBUS – INFOhio, the state’s virtual library and information network for PreK-12 public and nonpublic schools, recently presented Cheryl Forster, Head Cataloger and Project Manager of Library Automation for the Columbus Public Schools, with the INFOhio Hugh Durbin Leadership Award for 2005.

Established in 2001, the award honors the memory of Ohio educator Hugh Durbin, who spent his career engaged in providing quality library media programs and resources for all students. It is presented annually to practicing library media center personnel who take an active leadership role in promoting the use of the technology and electronic educational resources available through INFOhio. Today, with technology being used to teach, motivate, captivate and transform ordinary classrooms into multi-dimensional learning experiences, students and teachers alike need to be aware of and know how to use all the tools available to them.

Ohio school libraries currently have more than 40 million books and non-print resources. INFOhio provides the standardized software to put school library card catalogs online. With this single, Web catalog, Ohio PreK-12 students and teachers can access their own school library as well as any other automated school library throughout the state.

According to INFOhio’s Executive Director, Theresa Fredericka, Ms. Forster was recognized for her leadership efforts in automating 141 schools in three years. “Ms. Forster has been steadfast in her focus to help Columbus Public Schools stay on target to meet their grant requirements and complete their automation on time,” said Ms. Fredericka. “Her commitment to her students, teachers and INFOhio is to be commended. We applaud her planning and communication skills as well as her technical knowledge and behind the scenes troubleshooting to meet deadlines and deliver the services critical to preparing learners for the future."

The Columbus Library Automation Project was funded by Library Services and Technology Act (LSTA) grants awarded over three years by the State Library of Ohio using federal Institute of Museum and Library Services funds. According to Mary Nemeth, Coordinator of INFOhio Services, Metropolitan Educational Council, who nominated Ms. Forster for the award, “Ms. Forster is an inspiration and example to us all. She worked directly with Hugh Durbin for many years, and they shared the dream of automating the Columbus Public Schools. She was motivated by his leadership and driven to complete this enormous task they started more than 20 years ago. Her efforts have succeeded in guiding librarians to integrate the new system into their teaching and into the training of students and teachers. In fact, students are so excited they are saying things such as ‘Now, we have a real library.'"

Ms. Forster began her career as a classroom teacher in the Columbus schools more than 25 years ago. Since then, she has held positions as audiovisual cataloger, technical liaison to OHIONET, a non-profit library membership organization, and head of cataloging for Columbus Public Schools. She also served as an adjunct professor of cataloging at Ohio Dominican University. She has been in her current position since 2002. Ms. Forster has a media specialist’s graduate degree and a master's degree in Education Policy and Leadership from The Ohio State University.

The INFOhio Hugh Durbin Leadership Award was established in memory of an Ohio educator who spent his career engaged in providing quality library media programs and resources to students from pre-kindergarten children to adults in prison. He supported the professional growth of his colleagues through leadership in OELMA and by sharing his vision for the future of school library media programs in articles and presentations. His professionalism and personal commitment serve as an example for all in the field today.

INFOhio, established more than 10 years ago, is managed by the Management Council of the Ohio Education Computer Network (MCOECN). Its services are delivered through the 23 Information Technology Centers (formerly known as Data Acquisition Sites) using the existing school telecommunications infrastructure that links school libraries statewide. INFOhio allows every primary and secondary school in the state – regardless of size, location or fiscal resources – to access a core collection of electronic resources.

For additional information about this award and applications for 2006, contact:
INFOhio Central Office
35 E. Chestnut Street, 8th Floor
Columbus, OH 43215
Phone: 614-485-6731
Fax: 614-752-2940
E-mail: central@infohio.org
Web: http://www.infohio.org/LibraryStaff/grants.html