The Peachtree City Library has announced that reference supervisor Mary Haas has been selected to receive the 1999 Paraprofessional Award from the Paraprofessional Division of the Georgia Library Association.

The award is given to five individuals annually from around the state.

Haas will receive a $300 grant to facilitate her attendance at the annual GLA convention at Jekyll Island in October. A plaque will be presented to her at the convention and she will receive a free one-year GLA paraprofessional membership.

Other paraprofessionals winning this year's awards were from the DeKalb County library system, the Clayton College and State University library, the Mercer University main library, and the Atlanta-Fulton County library system.

Haas has worked at the Peachtree City Library since 1990 and has been instrumental in many of the changes at the facility. Beginning as a part-time library assistant, she has worked at the circulation desk and reference desk, taking it upon herself to organize the periodical collection during the library's recent major growth.

Haas was promoted to reference supervisor in 1994. Her duties include supervising a reference staff of five, managing the library's lease book program and maintaining the staff schedule for the entire library.

Her extensive research in 1994 resulted in a local area network for the library. She also assisted in drafting the library's Internet policy that is now used by other facilities around the country as a model.

Asked what has been the most satisfying aspect of her work, she replied, “Staff development. Most of the people here want to do a good job, but if they aren't given the tools to do it, they become frustrated and customer service suffers.”

Due largely to her efforts, the Peachtree City Library now makes training a top priority. This year the library has begun its first comprehensive training program for staff that includes electronic resources.

Haas says that her wish is for the library to continue its ongoing staff training and to develop a training program for all new employees as well.

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