Donnell Media Center Librarian and Staff Honored with Maher Stern Award for Outstanding Library Service
 
New York, NY, May 31, 2002 -- Dr. Marie Nesthus, and the Donnell Media Center staff have been chosen to receive The New York Public Library's Maher Stern Award for Service Excellence. The award ceremony will take place on Monday, June 3, at 10:00 a.m. at the Donnell Library Center located at 20 West 53rd Street, between 5th and 6th Avenues. In attendance will be Dr. Paul LeClerc, Library President; Mary K. Conwell, Director of The Branch Libraries; Allison Maher Stern, founder of the award, and library staff.
 
Dr. Marie Nesthus, Principal Librarian of the Donnell Media Center for over 20 years, is a nationally known figure in film studies. Collectively, the  Donnell Media Center's professional staff provide a broad range of expertise in film and video: Dr. Nesthus in Documentary and Experimental film; Joan Byrd in African and African/American filmmaking; David Callahan in Animation and Chinese film; Elizabeth McMahon in Latino and Feminist Filmmaking; and Joseph Yranski in Early Cinema and Gay/Lesbian Media. 

Donnell Media Center
Donnell Media Center has a passionate and devoted public, due in large part to the efforts of its committed staff.  The Center offers the only extensive circulating collection of 16mm films available in a public library today.  Its holdings compare favorably with many film/video archives and contain many rarities, including a number of film prints that are the only extant copies of the work.  In addition, there is an in-depth collection of independently produced video, as well as extensive collections of popular video, music on CD, and spoken word audio.  The Media Center regularly provides film and videos for programming at Library branches around the system, as well as long-term care facilities, senior centers, community organizations, and small film/video societies throughout the city.
 
The Maher Stern Award
Allison Maher Stern, who with her husband Leonard Stern pledged the award for a ten-year period, will present the $1,000 prize to Dr. Nesthus. The award, which is used to further enhance the branch's service, honors a librarian and his or her staff for excellence in community service.
 
"Marie Nesthus and her staff well deserve this recognition," Ms. Conwell said. "Their diligence in building up the collections at the Donnell Media Center and their dedication to servicing the members of the community who rely on their knowledge and expertise has been outstanding. Marie Nesthus and the Donnell Media Center staff are a credit to The New York Public Library."

Mrs. Stern remarked, "It is a privilege to be able to honor Dr. Nesthus and her staff for reaching out to the community and providing quality service and access to the branch's excellent resources. Their passion for their work is evident by the fruit of their labors -- the Media Center was standing room only at its reopening ceremony!"
 
"It is a great honor to receive the Maher Stern Award," Marie Nesthus said.  "The Donnell Media Center staff and I are especially pleased because this award recognizes the efforts made to provide excellent service to the public." 
 
The Media Center's Lower Level location was closed for two years while undergoing a complete renovation, during which the staff were located into a makeshift workroom. They worked closely as a team to facilitate the moving process by tagging material for move or discard, weeding the collection, packing materials and directing the movers. Because of the staffs' strong commitment, public service needs were met and films and videos continued to be supplied for branch programming.
 
During this period of renovation, Donnell Media Center received a Carnegie Corporation grant of $533,000 for preservation of films in its collection.  The Center successfully preserved 130 films significant to New York and/or film history. The completed Media Center opened in September 2001.

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Contact: Debbie Bujosa at 212-704-8600.

 

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