Ellender Memorial Library named top in the state by LOUIS

LOUIS, The Louisiana Library Network, named Ellender Memorial Library the top library in the state among higher institutions earlier this month.

Ellender Memorial Library got the Library of the Year award at the syndicate’s 2016 annual conference in Baton Rouge, which took place from Oct. 5 to 6.
The award symbolizes the recognition of the library’s programs and resources as well as its combined efforts with other university libraries.

“Our main goal is to provide students with the resources and services that they need,” Clifton Theriot, archivist and interim library director, said.
The facility offers primary resources on the history of both the Thibodaux area and Nicholls State University. The library also has a department of government documents, which includes all state and federal documents.

The library hosts traveling exhibits on a variety of topics related to the history of area and the university. Guest speakers that specialize on the topic of the exhibit are also invited to participate on the events. Organizations featured in past exhibits include the Smithsonian, American Library Association and the National Library of Medicine.

The library staff teaches subject-special classes throughout the semester as well as a two-day series in University 101 classes focusing first on information literacy and then applying practical use of the resources.

In addition to the interactive programs, the library is equipped with traditional print and electronic resources, archives and periodicals.

“We love information and we love to help,” Sarah Simms, head of serials and research librarian, said. “We think it’s so important to teach these skills so we’re always available to help with bot student and faculty research.”

John Bourgeois, head of access services and research librarian, said that the physical space is just as much a resource as the actual information within the building. He said the electronic gate counting system counts reflect tens of thousands of people coming and going every year.

Nicholls has been a charter member of LOUIS since 1992. LOUIS is fully funded by the institutions within it and the Louisiana Board of Regents. Institutions pay a membership fee to be included in the consortium which in turn grants the institutions resources and advocacy. The organization has now grown to include 47 members.

“It’s saved us millions of dollars over the years,” Theriot said.

Bourgeois said that because of a decline in educational budgets across the nation, more states are looking at the LOUIS model of this consortium and they are seeing the benefits and wanting to conform to it.

“This award is a reflection of the hard work and collaboration of our team of librarians and staff along with the support of the University,” Library co-Director, Clifton Theriot, said. We’re honored to receive this award as an affirmation of our efforts to meet the needs of our users in this ever-changing information age.”

Theriot said that, with information coming out of more outlets than ever before, the important thing for contemporary librarians is to make sure the students are able to evaluate the information. In the past, students were able to focus on information that were available through print resources only.

“We’ve set a level of expectations and now we’ll have to meet it and I think we will,” Bourgeois said. “I’m really excited about where we’re going in the future.”