Andrew Burkhardt, Champlain College’s Emerging Technologies Librarian, has been named a recipient of the Lyrasis 2010 NextGen Librarian Award.

This award honors three librarians new to the library profession who demonstrate an innovative and fresh approach to the profession and are leaders in our rapidly changing world. In selecting Andy, the award committee commended his ability to stay current to new technologies while valuing the importance of in-person connections. In their nomination materials, Andy’s campus colleagues praised him as “a dynamic force” and “a key player in expanding the effective use of technologies within the library and on our campus” but also emphasized his sense of balance: “He brings innovative, fresh ideas, and fun to our library, but he also brings a seriousness of purpose and a genuine respect for others.” “From his first day,” one nominator wrote, “Andy has represented a dynamic force for positive changes, and has made the Miller Information Commons an even more integral part of the college environment.”

As one of the three winners, Andy will receive an honorarium to cover registration and hotel accommodations to a library conference of his choice, and he will be interviewed for an article in the LYRASIS Newsletter and featured on the LYRASIS website. The award will be presented at the American Library Association 2010 Annual Conference in Washington, DC.

LYRASIS, the award’s sponsor, is the nation’s largest regional library consortium, fostering collaboration and cooperation among member libraries and facilitating their success through networking, programming, innovative solutions, and group purchasing for products and services.