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2017 Julie Klauber Award Winner - Heather Brown

Long-time NC LBPH staff member honored with National Library Service Award..

2017 Julie Klauber Award Honoree, North Carolina Library for the Blind & Physically Handicapped

Raleigh, North Carolina - March 20, 2017 - Keystone Systems and the North Carolina Library for the Blind and Physically Handicapped (NC LBPH) are excited to announce the selection of Heather Brown as the 2017 Julie Klauber Award honoree. Brown, NC LBPH's Supervisor of Patron Processing, began working at the library as a Circulation Assistant in 1990. She now supervises the group in charge of processing patron applications and recordkeeping.

As this year's award recipient, Brown receives a trip to the 2017 Keystone Library Automation System (KLAS) Users Conference provided by Keystone Systems. During the conference, Brown will have opportunities to network with her peers from across the country and attend sessions about utilizing KLAS to increase patron access and services. Keystone Systems and the Julie Klauber Award Committee will recognize Brown and present her with a plaque during the conference's opening general session on Tuesday, March 21.

Brown looks forward to attending the conference to "absorb all the knowledge I can." In particular, she hopes to learn about what is upcoming in future KLAS releases and any undiscovered features and functions that may help other members of the NC LBPH staff.

Catherine Rubin, Assistant Regional Librarian, nominated Brown for this year's award based on her outstanding service, enthusiasm, and excellent problem-solving skills. She says Brown is a "catalyst for change who readily takes on new projects with creative ideas and an adventurous spirit." Rubin says NC LBPH staff are thrilled to see Brown's leadership and diligence recognized with a national library service award. "The award gives Heather the chance to attend a conference very relevant to her job where she can use her technical expertise and people skills to learn even more from the conference and to make her own contributions to it."

The North Carolina Library for the Blind and Physically Handicapped (NCLBPH) is a special public library that circulates books and magazines especially made for persons who cannot use regular printed material because of a visual or physical disability. The library is part of the State Library of North Carolina under the Department of Natural and Cultural Resources.

About the North Carolina Department of Natural and Cultural Resources:

The N.C. Department of Natural and Cultural Resources (NCDNCR) is the state agency with a vision to be the leader in using the state's natural and cultural resources to build the social, cultural, educational and economic future of North Carolina. NCDNCR's mission is to improve the quality of life in our state by creating opportunities to experience excellence in the arts, history, libraries and nature in North Carolina by stimulating learning, inspiring creativity, preserving the state's history, conserving the state's natural heritage, encouraging recreation and cultural tourism, and promoting economic development.
NCDNCR includes 27 historic sites, seven history museums, two art museums, two science museums, three aquariums and Jennette's Pier, 39 state parks and recreation areas, the N.C. Zoo, the nation's first state-supported Symphony Orchestra, the State Library, the State Archives, the N.C. Arts Council, State Preservation Office and the Office of State Archaeology, along with the Division of Land and Water Stewardship. For more information, please call (919) 807-7300 or visit www.ncdcr.gov.

About the Julie Klauber Award:

The annual Julie Klauber Award recognizes outstanding and dedicated library staff that work with KLAS in their daily job functions and provide exceptional service to their library and the community in the spirit of Julie Klauber. Klauber was a national expert and leader on disability issues. She served as the director of Talking Books Plus library in Suffolk County, NY, and authored several articles on library resources and services for people with disabilities.

About Keystone Systems:

Keystone Systems, Inc., a leading provider of accessible library software since 1983, provides software and service solutions to libraries with complex demands. Keystone developers have created a powerful, yet elegant library automation system (KLAS), which has the flexibility to meet specific needs of special, academic, and public libraries. For more information about Keystone Systems or KLAS, visit www.klas.com.