INFOhio Spence White Service Award, 2015
John Mitchell (NCC) and Charles Schmiesing (NOACSC)
John Mitchell and Charles Schmiesing have been named the 2015 Spence White Award winners. Mitchell received the Spence White Service Award, and Schmiesing received the first ever Spence White Honorary Recognition. Both were recognized at the INFOhio Users Council meeting held February 9, 2016, at the Ohio Education Technology Conference.
John Mitchell
As Executive Director of an information technology center, John’s day-to-day work ensures that the students in Northeast Ohio have access to the library services and to the digital content they need for school research. As a member of INFOhio’s Governing Advisory Board, he helps guide the services to meet the needs of students statewide.
“When John first joined the Governing Advisory Board, INFOhio had barely emerged from the grand idea stage,” said INFOhio Executive Director Theresa M. Fredericka. ”At that time, we had automated just 500 schools supporting 250,000 students. Today, those numbers have swelled to more than 1.2 million students in 524 school districts in 2,433 buildings. John...was instrumental in that growth.”
Mitchell’s four nominators, fellow ITC directors from across the state, also noted his gift for strategic planning that led INFOhio to introduce its current wide range of services beyond library automation, including digital content and professional development.
Charles Schmiesing
Charlie was nominated for the award for his work, mostly behind the scenes, to create and maintain the network that allows students to use INFOhio library services and digital content anywhere they have an Internet connection.
“Over his 16 years of service, people from all corners of the state told me how much they appreciated his quick, thorough answers to questions and his dogged research into technical issues, especially those affecting the electronic resources,” said INFOhio Executive Director Theresa M. Fredericka. “And although they will not know it, Ohio's 1.9 million students will continue to have access to digital content and library service—regardless of their socioeconomic status or where they live—in large part because of the groundwork Charlie quietly laid over the years.”
All of us at INFOhio want to add our congratulations and thanks to John and Charlie. We are proud to work with you!
