Press Release

Beachwood Middle School Library Media Specialist Receives INFOhio Leadership Award

COLUMBUS – INFOhio, the state’s virtual library and information network for PreK-12 public and nonpublic schools, recently presented Karon Lippincott, Library Media Specialist for Beachwood Middle School, with the INFOhio Hugh Durbin Leadership Award for 2008.

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.

Jennifer Schwelik, Beachwood High School Librarian, reports that Lippincott is "a driving force in our district, our Information Technology Center (ITC) and the state for excellence in teaching learning. She strongly supports and promotes INFOhio as an organization and as a resource for teachers and students."

In her school, Lippincott facilitates a series of professional development sessions and has promoted her colleagues with extensive training about INFOhio's resources. She collaborates with classroom teachers in planning their instruction and teaches students how to use INFOhio and other resources. Linda LoGalbo, Beachwood Middle School Principal, reports that her teachers are "thankful to have such a person as Karon to assist them in navigating the endless supply of resources."

Lippincott graduated from Bowling Green State University in 1993 with a bachelor's degree in Secondary Education with majors in history, political science and geography. She taught a variety of history classes at Cuyahoga Falls High School and then Green High School. In 2003, Karon received a Master of Education degree in Information Technology and Library Science from Kent State University. She has been employed in Beachwood City Schools as a library teacher since 2005. Karon is active with her ITC (Lake-Geauga Computer Association) and in the state INFOhio Users Council. She presents at and participates in Institute for Library and Information Literacy Education events and was an original SchoolRooms™ contributor. She is married to Devan and has a daughter and son.

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 23 Information Technology Centers 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.

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.

For additional information about this award and applications for 2009, 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: /LibraryStaff/grants.html