IMSA Library Receives Highsmith Innovation Award

For Immediate Release, August 1998
For comment, contact Brenda Buschbacher at (630) 907-5033

AURORA-- The Illinois Library Association and Highsmith Inc. have presented the Illinois Mathematics and Science Academy® (IMSA) with the 1998 Highsmith Innovation Award.

The award, given to only one library annually in Illinois, recognizes a library’s achievement in planning and implementing an innovative or creative program or service which has had a measurable impact on its users. The purpose of this award is to encourage innovation by highlighting the overall activities of a library (including staff, administration, governance, and volunteers) in successfully marshaling its resources to benefit its users.

IMSA’s Leto M. Furnas Information Resource Center (IRC) was dedicated in 1987 following a $300,000 grant to the Academy from The Furnas Foundation in Batavia, IL. The IRC is a resource-based learning environment which encourages students to take an active role in acquiring and using the information resources they need to answer questions or solve problems. Students have access to sources worldwide in both traditional and electronic formats.

IMSA’s print collection includes 41,000 books, 120 periodical subscriptions in hard copy, and 40 periodical subscriptions on microfiche. ProQuest and NewsBank CD-ROM products provide citations to and full text of newspaper and journal articles. Audiovisual materials include 350 audio CDs, 1000 videos, and 500 fine arts posters.

IMSA library users also have access to relevant public domain sites and online subscription services including Britannica Online and SearchBank. In addition, IMSA is the only high school member of ILLINET Online, a statewide library network containing the holdings of IMSA and 44 Illinois college and university libraries. Interlibrary loan offers worldwide access to 370 million items from 25,000 libraries in 63 countries. The IMSA IRC also has two computer laboratories.

For additional information, visit the IMSA IRC Home Page.

Located in Aurora, Illinois, the Illinois Mathematics and Science Academy® (IMSA) is an internationally-recognized pioneering educational institution created by the State to develop talent and stimulate excellence in teaching and learning in mathematics, science and technology. IMSA's advanced residential college preparatory program enrolls 650 academically talented Illinois students in grades 10-12. More than 14,000 teachers and 20,000 students in Illinois and beyond have benefited from IMSA's professional development and enrichment programs. IMSA serves the people of Illinois through innovative instructional programs, public and private partnerships, policy leadership and action research.