One
of
many
places
where
teaching
and
learning
thrive
outside
the
classroom
is
in
the
Ritter
Library
with
the
support
of
expert,
mentoring
staff.
BW
alumna
and
head
of
Ritter
Library's
Access
Services,
Laura
D'Amato
'93,
is
the
recipient
of
two
noteworthy
awards
in
Ohio
academic
librarianship
in
2020.
Last month, D'Amato was named the 2020 recipient of the Ohio Private Academic Libraries (OPAL) Service Award. OPAL is a consortium of 25 private college and university libraries in Ohio.
In
presenting
the
award,
Tiffany
Lipstreu,
director
of
Otterbein
University's
Courtright
Memorial
Library,
cited
D'Amato's
impressive
work
on
OPAL's
Strategic
Planning
Committee,
as
well
as
her
contributions
as
coordinator
of
the
OPAL
Circulation
Community
of
Interest,
as
playing
a
key
role
in
the
recognition.
In the spring, D'Amato was selected to participate in the 2020 Library Leadership Ohio (LLO) cohort. Spearheaded by the State Library of Ohio and OhioNET, this competitive program honors individuals who display strong leadership skills.
D'Amato's support of BW students is perhaps her greatest contribution to BW. Brielle Trussa '20 credited D'Amato's "kind personality and leadership skills" for "fostering [her] growth as a worker and a person."
She went on to say, "Laura found creative ways to incorporate my film degree into my student circulation assistant role, and in doing so, showed how much she cared about my future and helping me succeed."
D'Amato has been part of the Ritter Library staff for the past eight years.
