Santa Clara County Library District Receives Top Innovator Award of 2014
Campbell, California (PRWEB) July 11, 2014 -- The Santa Clara County Library District (SCCLD) has been recognized by the Urban Libraries Council (ULC) as one of its Top Innovators of 2014. SCCLD was presented with the top award in the “Collections” category at the NEXT Library Conference in Chicago. This award recognizes SCCLD’s partnership with Silicon Valley start-up company, JukePop, Inc., that revives the lost art of episodic–fiction and introduces a new service to library patrons that provides free access to self-published e-books.
The Santa Clara County Library District’s project was selected by a panel of expert judges from more than 180 ULC Innovations Initiative applications. Top Innovator Awards honor organizations who demonstrate creative new approaches and practices which ensure public libraries continue to meet expanding community needs. Twenty-two libraries from around the country were recognized in ten different award categories for their innovative programs, services, and operating practices.
“We are honored to receive this award from the Urban Libraries Council,” commented Jason Baker, Campbell City Council Member and Chair of the Santa Clara County Library District Joint Powers Authority (JPA) Board. “By joining forces with JukePop, Inc., our libraries are now able to provide free access to stories written by talented up-and-coming self-published authors.”
“Our partnership with SCCLD provides the public with easy access to over 1,100 free, online self-published serial novels in an e-book format. Self-published authors now have a viable platform to showcase their stories, chapter by chapter, building readership and gathering feedback,” said Jerry Fan, Founder and CEO of JukePop, Inc.
All self-published content is first curated by JukePop, Inc. and then further refined by librarians before final selections are offered for free on the SCCLD website: http://www.sccl.org/episodic-fiction. A library card is not required to view the content.
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About the Santa Clara County Library District
Known as one of America’s best 100 public libraries, the Santa Clara County Library District promotes knowledge, ideas, and cultural enrichment. Its collection includes more than 1.9 million books, videos, CDs, DVDs, audiobooks, eBooks and extensive online resources accessible from home or work.
For eleven years, the Library has ranked as one of the best in the nation for its size by Hennen’s American Public Library Ratings. Also recognized as one of America’s 2013 Star Libraries by Library Journal, the Santa Clara County Library District is one of the most-used public resources in the region.
The Santa Clara County Library District includes two bookmobiles, an online library, seven community libraries and one branch library serving Campbell, Cupertino, Gilroy, Los Altos, Los Altos Hills, Milpitas, Monte Sereno, Morgan Hill, Saratoga and the unincorporated areas of Santa Clara County. In 2013, the Santa Clara County Library District had more than 215,000 library cardholders and welcomed 3.2 million visitors who borrowed 9.7 million items. Visit Santa Clara County Library District online at http://www.sccl.org.
About the Urban Libraries Council
As a membership organization made up of America’s premier public library systems and the organizations that serve them, the Urban Libraries Council (ULC) has spent more than 40 years enriching urban communities by strengthening their public libraries. While ULC members primarily represent urban and suburban libraries, lessons from their work are widely used by all libraries. ULC serves as a forum for thought leaders sharing best and next practices resulting from targeted research, education, and emerging trends. Our programs are recognized for creating new frameworks that invigorate public libraries and their communities.
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Mark Fink, Santa Clara County Library District, http://www.sccl.org, +1 408-293-2326 Ext: 3010, [email protected]
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