Congratulations, Pam Sessoms!
The award recognizes Sessoms for her creation of LibraryH3lp (pronounced "Library Help"), a virtual reference tool that she codeveloped with her computer-programmer husband, Eric. LibraryH3lp makes it easier for reference librarians to respond to and field IM and chat reference questions.
Libraries at UNC use LibraryH3lp, which was initially designed to permit sharing of night-time virtual reference with colleagues at North Carolina State and Duke University libraries. Approximately 50 other institutions have now implemented the software.
Sessoms credits her colleagues at UNC, Duke, and NCSU with fostering an environment where taking risks and experimenting is possible. "I'm especially thankful for the Davis Reference staff," she said. "They have been through a million different chat systems, upgrades, tweaks, and changes over the years, and have never batted an eye."
Sessoms earned her B.A. and M.L.I.S. from UNC. She has been with the Reference Department in Davis Library since 1994. In 2008, she was a recipient with Tom Nixon of the Outstanding Teacher of the Year Award for adjunct faculty at UNC's School of Information and Library Science.
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