Gerry McCarthy receives Libraries’ Distinguished Service Award
The Syracuse University Libraries Assembly (SULA) Distinguished Service Award Committee has awarded the 2018 Distinguished Service Award to Gerry McCarthy, Office Supervisor in the Learning Commons at Bird Library. This award represents recognition by Gerry’s peers of her significant contributions to Syracuse University Libraries and the Syracuse University community.
Gerry joined the library in 2007 as Office Supervisor for the Social Sciences and Area Studies department. In 2009, Gerry joined the Learning Commons and has been a key contributor in establishing it as a highly useful resource for the SU community and keeping it running smoothly. She has also been generous with her time and effort, lending her enthusiasm and deep competence to many projects outside her home department, including the Outstanding Student Employee Awards, student appreciation efforts, Bird Beautification team, the Human Library, many search committees, the Libanalytics team, and Welcome Fest.
The many letters sent in support of Gerry’s nomination praised her valuable personal qualities — tireless energy, a cheerful and upbeat attitude, and endless patience -– as well as her outstanding professional abilities, her superb organizational talents, her strong dedication to service, and her skills as a supportive, attentive, and empowering supervisor.
As one supporter put it: “Gerry’s managed to do such a good job in…her role of connecting the needs of the department to the activities that make it work that in some ways she is nearly invisible.”
SULA, SU Libraries, and the DSA Committee are pleased to take this opportunity to make her highly, and deservedly, visible.
The award will be presented to Gerry at the Syracuse Libraries Holiday Party & Recognition Event on Tuesday, December 18.
Members of the selection panel for 2018 were Natalie LoRusso (chair), Michele Combs, Philip Movsovich, Erin Smith, and Patrick Williams.