Kathryn Plunkett named Outstanding New Librarian
Press Release Date: 05-14-2010
Kathryn Plunkett displays the award that she recently received.
DURANT, Okla. – Kathryn Plunkett, Assistant Professor and Digital Information Literacy Librarian in Southeastern Oklahoma State University's Henry G. Bennett Memorial Library, was honored as the Oklahoma Library Association's Outstanding New Librarian for 2010 at the Mountain Plains Library Association/OLA Annual Conference banquet.
Plunkett, SE Library Director Sharon Morrison and Public Services Librarian Dennis Miles joined other librarians from 12 states at the awards banquet April 19 at the Cox Conference Center in Oklahoma City.
"As director of the library," Morrison said, "I am extremely proud and excited that Kathryn has been recognized by our professional association. Her enthusiasm and innovations are making a lasting impact on the library. She is certainly deserving of this honor."
A graduate of Southeastern and Texas Woman's University in Denton, Plunkett joined Southeastern in 2008.
Before coming to SE, she served as cataloger and serials supervisor at Austin College in Sherman, Texas. At Southeastern, Plunkett maintains the library website, which won the ACRL College and University Libraries Website of the Month in Oct. 2009. She also serves on the Online Learning Council, has taught a section of College Success, is the Online Learning Librarian, one of the Reference and Instruction Librarians and is the Supervisor of the Southeastern Center for Funding Research.
Plunkett is a member of the ALA RUSA Stars Committee for Rethinking Resource Sharing Policies, MPLA's Communications Committee, OLA's Ethics, Interlibrary Cooperation Committees and Information Technology Round Table, and a lifetime member of Beta Phi Mu, the Library Honor Society.
The OLA Outstanding New Librarian award is presented to an individual librarian in recognition of significant contributions to the profession and potential for professional development. The recipient must have five or fewer years of experience as a professional librarian, with at least two years of experience in Oklahoma. Consideration is given to leadership in innovative and exceptional programs or service.
Also, Plunkett was one of three individuals from Oklahoma (only 30 overall from the 12 member states) chosen to attend the MLPA 2010 Library Leadership Institute in Estes Park, Colo., April 25-30.