The Williamsburg Regional Library | What's New | VLA's George Mason Award Presented to WRL's Phillip West Memorial Cancer Center

Reference Librarians Barry Trott and Janet Crowther with the Virginia Library Association's George Mason Award.

Williamsburg Regional Library's Phillip West Memorial Cancer Resource Center Wins VLA's George Mason Award

The Williamsburg Regional Library has been selected as the 1999 recipient of the Virginia Library Association’s George Mason Award for its distinguished advocacy of libraries, specifically through the establishment of the Phillip West Memorial Cancer Resource Center, providing local and national information on cancer that otherwise would not be available to members of the public.

The award, which is the Virginia Library Association’s highest honor, is presented annually to a library or individual that has contributed to the development, growth and extension of library and information services, and was presented at the VLA Conference at The Homestead in Hot Springs, Virginia on October 29, 1999.

Through the Phillip West Cancer Resource Center, the Williamsburg Regional Library has provided a unique resource for cancer patients, their families and the public. Developed through a bequest from the family of Phillip West, and in partnership with the Williamsburg Community Hospital, the center also draws support from other groups like the Virginia Foundation for Breast Cancer, the Leukemia Society of America, the American Cancer Society, and others.

The Center collection includes circulation and reference material, pamphlets, pathfinders, video and audio tapes, and journals and provides materials for those doing in-depth research. The website (www.westcancer.org) offers links to the best cancer-related Internet resources available, both nationally and internationally, and extends the program not only to library visitors but also to caregivers, physicians, and out-of-area patrons who can now access the website from home.

Some features of the Phillip West Memorial Cancer Resource Center are:

A unifying logo based on the colored ribbons present on all Cancer Center materials

Extensive review and annotation of the websites listed

Special resources for children and their families

Dedicated Cancer Resource Center Internet terminals, with Reference staff available for assistance

Reference staff who promote the available resources through programs for local health care providers, cancer support groups and other interested groups

The Williamsburg Regional Library has broken new ground for public libraries of the future and will be a model for the 21^st Century in library innovation and programming to meet community needs.