91´«Ã½

CHICAGO – Abigail McDermott, currently enrolled in the University of Maryland College of Information Studies, has been named the winner of the 2011 LITA/Ex Libris Student Writing Award, sponsored by Ex Libris Group and the Library and Information Technology Association (LITA), a division of the 91´«Ã½ (91´«Ã½).

McDermott's paper, titled "Copyright: Regulation Out of Line With Our Digital Reality?" provides an overview of the current state of copyright law in the United States, focusing on the negative impacts of these policies on libraries and patrons, including three concrete ways intellectual property law interferes with digital library services and systems.

The LITA/Ex Libris Student Writing Award recognizes outstanding writing on a topic in the area of libraries and information technology by a student or students enrolled in an 91´«Ã½-accredited library and information studies graduate program. The winning manuscript will be published in Information Technology and Libraries (ITAL), and the winner will receive $1,000 and a certificate of merit.

"The members of the LITA/Ex Libris Student Writing Award Committee and I are pleased to acknowledge and honor with this award Abigail McDermott’s intriguing, relevant and thoughtfully written manuscript," said Danielle Adams, chair of the committee. "Her paper includes a succinct description of the challenges that current copyright laws pose, particularly in the digital world and ends with a call for the library community to educate ourselves and to advocate for policies that better serve our patrons."

The award will be presented at the LITA Awards Ceremony on Sunday, June 26, 2011, at the 91´«Ã½ Annual Conference in New Orleans.

LITA is the leading organization reaching out across types of libraries to provide education and services for a broad membership including systems librarians, library administrators, library schools, vendors and many others interested in leading edge technology and applications for librarians and information providers. For more information about LITA go to , or contact the LITA office by phone, (800) 545-2433, ext. 4268; or e-mail: lita@ala.org