Outstanding Department Head Nominees
Awarded to the Department Head who is recognized to have strong management skills, is an advocate for both the Libraries and its mission and their department's employees' needs. This person is able to balance the goals of the Libraries with the individual goals of the employees in their department.
Media Archives and Peabody Award Collection
Please describe what makes this person an outstanding department head (e.g., managerial skills, teaching ability, interpersonal skills, attitude, leadership, etc.).
Ruta is very supportive of intiative w/in her department, allowing new ideas to grow and develop toward the betterment of the department.
Is there a specific incident you'd like to cite? For example, has this person led your department through a difficult change while maintaining a focus on the Libraries' mission?
During personnel changes, Ruta has spent an amazing amount of time rethinking strategies for the future and factoring in the strengths of department personnel.
Please describe how the nominee has contributed to the individual goals of the employees in his/her department while focusing on the Libraries' mission.
Ruta encourages all of us to go out on a limb and take on projects as we see fit. Similarly, she always insists we be careful not to overload ourselves.
What else do you think the ASSET Awards Committee should know about your
nominee?
Ruta is cool.
Digital Library of Georgia
Please describe what makes this person an outstanding department head (e.g., managerial skills, teaching ability, interpersonal skills, attitude, leadership, etc.).
Toby is always...ALWAYS pleasant and good-natured.
Is there a specific incident you'd like to cite? For example, has this person led your department through a difficult change while maintaining a focus on the Libraries' mission?
With as many things on his plate as he has, I'm amazed at how he can remain so good-natured!
What else do you think the ASSET Awards Committee should know about your
nominee?
Cute baby!
Digital Library of Georgia
Please describe what makes this person an outstanding department head (e.g., managerial skills, teaching ability, interpersonal skills, attitude, leadership, etc.).
Toby works hard every day to build the product, reputation, and teamwork of the Digital Library. He takes time to find out what we need to increase productivity and makes sure that we get it. He supports our efforts to improve our output and workspace. He encourages initiative and supports training and development. He guides and supports the decisions of his unit supervisors and promotes communication between units. He earnestly acknowledges that the work we do is important and keeps his staff up to date on all Digital Library projects and events in the UGA Library. Unit managers benefit from his open-door policy and positive outlook.
Is there a specific incident you'd like to cite? For example, has this person led your department through a difficult change while maintaining a focus on the Libraries' mission?
Whenever there is a change in policy or procedure, Toby carefully explains the change, the reasons for the change, and the impact of the change. During the rather sudden change this year in staff status and payroll procedure, Toby openly explained the changes to the group and privately to individuals. His calm approach to the situation was reassuring.
Please describe how the nominee has contributed to the individual goals of the employees in his/her department while focusing on the Libraries' mission.
The main goal of DLG staff is quality production of digital projects, including activities such as digitization, data entry, contextualization, and cataloging. While Toby is chiefly concerned with acquiring funding and building relationships both within the library and with librarians throughout Georgia, he keeps track of all that we do. Whenever he leads a tour of our office, whether for the Library or to build relationships for DLG and GALILEO, he stops at every staff desk and asks us to describe what we're working on. Then he elaborates and makes it sound like we have the most important job in the world (not that we don't). He makes everyone look good: Library, staff, DLG, and GALILEO.
What else do you think the ASSET Awards Committee should know about your
nominee?
Toby never forgets our accomplishments and contributions. He's busy, but never too busy to say hello to a guest or discuss technological and managerial issues. Also, he answers his email promptly, demonstrating that he cares about our work and decisions.
Digital Library of Georgia
Please describe what makes this person an outstanding department head (e.g., managerial skills, teaching ability, interpersonal skills, attitude, leadership, etc.).
The DLG has changed considerably since Toby's arrival in 2003. Split over several floors and serving UGA and the broader cultural heritage community in the state, the department is more productive than ever. In 2004, we debuted several sites, reached 20,000 publications in the Georgia Government publications site, and created the most microfilm the GNP has since the 1990s. These great accomplishments would not have been possible without Toby's unflagging support and guidance. Toby advocates for our needs and seeks ways to support our work.
Is there a specific incident you'd like to cite? For example, has this person led your department through a difficult change while maintaining a focus on the Libraries' mission?
A born collaborator, Toby tirelessly seeks out project partners and projects. He keeps the desires and needs of our various constituencies in mind while creating the DLG's strategic vision. Through his efforts, DLG has reached out to the public library community; however, he hasn't forgotten our other stakeholders. For example, when spearheading the DLG redesign process, he brought in not only archivists from university system special collections areas, but solicited the input of public librarians, school media specialists, representatives from the department of education, and other online publishers. Because of these early contacts with our users (and content providers), our new Web site is poised to become a true portal to digital objects reflecting Georgia's history and life.
Please describe how the nominee has contributed to the individual goals of the employees in his/her department while focusing on the Libraries' mission.
Toby is an excellent advocate and wants each employee in the DLG to enjoy his/her job as much as he relishes his own. He encourages them to build their potential, be professionally involved, and to explore new avenues of development. He tries to engage the entire staff and encourages them to see their own roles in the success of the DLG.
What else do you think the ASSET Awards Committee should know about your
nominee?
In February of this year, Toby submitted a grant proposal to IMLS for an online archive of moving images related to the Civil Rights Movement. The project partners include the Walter J. Brown Media Archives, the New Georgia Encyclopedia, UGA's multicultural program, and other Civil Rights digital projects.
Collection Development
Please describe what makes this person an outstanding department head (e.g., managerial skills, teaching ability, interpersonal skills, attitude, leadership, etc.).
Nan is such a wonderful person to have as a Department Head. She manages to blend expertise and practicality into every decision Collection Development makes. Additionally, she also infuses every meeting with humor which is not always an easy task. I've always been impressed by her ability to pay attention to the individual needs we all have and remember all our little idiosyncracies too.
Please describe how the nominee has contributed to the individual goals of the employees in his/her department while focusing on the Libraries' mission.
Nan has been wonderful to work with and has always been ready to meet with me when I may feel a bit puzzled about whatever is going on with Collection Development projects. She always helps me see both 'the forest and the trees' when it comes to my job.
What else do you think the ASSET Awards Committee should know about your
nominee?
If I ever became a Department Head, Nan would be the person I would use as my role model.
