Apr. 29, 2011

For the past two years, Clark Memorial Library has recognized a student for Excellence in Research for a student paper or project that demonstrates the use of the university library collections and information literacy research skills.

Dental Hygiene student Kimberly Stalder, of Lancaster, won this year's Clark Memorial Library Excellence in Research Award and she was presented with $400 and a certificate recognizing her work. Stalder is also a student employee in circulation at the library.

Judges of the competition use a rubric that focuses on the research process: demonstration of information literacy research skills, adept use of library resources, and reflection on the strategies used to investigate a research problem.

Ann Marie Short, associate director of Public Services, presented Stalder with the award. Short assisted Stalder with the research as required by the rules of the competition and signed off on the Research Worksheets Stalder had to turn in.

Stalder also presented her paper, "Water Fluoridation and Dental Decay" at the Celebration of Scholarship in April, which was a prerequisite for the Library Research Award competition.

"The process really taught me how to utilize the research resources in the library," Stalder said. "Now I feel qualified to judge the scholarly value of sources for future research."