OSU Library recognized for support of Mountain Plains Library Association

July 10, 2024

The Oklahoma State University Library received the Mountain Plains Library Association’s Carl Gaumer Library Champion Award for the ongoing, multi-year digitization of over 60 years of MPLA physical records.

The project was initiated by former OSU Librarian and current MPLA member Roy Degler. Since Degler’s retirement, OSU Archivists, Ben Hedges and Sana Masood have taken on the project. Hedges accepted the award on behalf of the OSU Library at the Salt Lake City MPLA/Utah Library Association conference in May.

“Doing this work is really fulfilling, especially when I know it has definite value for the MPLA,” Hedges said. “A lot of people are going to be excited about this work being accessible.”

Making these physical documents accessible has been a long-time goal for the MPLA, according to Hedges. Throughout this work, he has enjoyed supporting an organization that’s grateful and excited for the outcome.

Masood shared that, despite the large undertaking involved, she is excited about collaborating on the research and development required to make this project happen.

“Working on an extensive project like this has been a fun learning experience,” Masood said. “I’ve been able to pull from my previous processing experiences and adapt them to this large-scale digitization plan.”

This digitization process uses optical character recognition software, which converts written and printed text to a searchable electronic format. The output of the project will allow for accessibility in a future repository MPLA plans to build.

“As an archivist, you want to work for the betterment of both your institution and the field as a whole,” Masood said. “This project is a great way to preserve a part of the history of this profession.”

The Carl Gaumer Library Champion Award recognizes efforts supporting MPLA and the library community. The MPLA consists of librarians, library professionals and supporters from 12 states, and promotes the development and education of the field. To learn about the MPLA visit mpla.us.

STORY BY: Jacob Jackson, Senior Communications Specialist
RELEASE CONTACT:  Bonnie Cain-Wood, APR | OSU Library | 405-744-7331 | lib-pub@okstate.edu

URL: https://library-dep.okstate.edu/news/archived-news/summer-2024/osu-library-recognized-for-support-of-mountain-plains-library-association

Last Updated: 10 July 2024