Harford County Public Library Receives ‘Innovator of the Year Award’ for 3rd Consecutive Year

From the Harford County Public Library:

The Daily Record has named Harford County Public Library an Innovator of the Year for establishing The Innovation Lab at the Abingdon Library. It is the third year in a row that Harford County Public Library has received an Innovator of the Year Award. A listing of all winners is below.

The Daily Record began the Innovator of the Year awards in 2002 as a way to recognize Marylanders and Maryland-based companies for their innovative spirit – for creating new products, new programs, new services or new processes that have helped their companies, industries or communities.

For this year’s honorees, their innovative achievements took place between January 2014 and July 2015.

The Innovation Lab opened at the Abingdon Library in January. An innovative, STEM-focused hub for teens and adults, The Innovation Lab is a digital media lab providing a dedicated space for hands-on or do-it-yourself learning in video production, self-publishing and 3-D printing.

Harford County Public Library received an Innovator of the Year Award in 2013 for Little Leapers and in 2014 for Little Leapers 3.5.

Innovator of the Year nominees were asked to complete an application that explained their innovation and the impact it has made on Maryland. The nominations were judged on four basic criteria: originality, impact, challenge and value.

Hailing from diverse fields, their innovations herald new frontiers for how we live, work, play and give back in the 21st century.

“Innovators are on the cutting edge and make real change happen. Their innovations are integral to our lives, whether they are in health care, education, business, technology and beyond.” said Suzanne Fischer-Huettner, publisher of The Daily Record. “The 2015 Innovator of the Year honorees take risks to better our lives and communities, and for that, The Daily Record salutes them.”

Mary Hastler, CEO of Harford County Public Library, said, “STEM education is so important in narrowing the digital divide. Our library team worked very hard to make The Innovation Lab accessible to library patrons of all ages. The lab is an opportunity for families and the community to share their stories, create videos and explore 3-D technology. We are so honored to be recognized by The Daily Record with its Innovator of the Year Award for the third year in a row.”

The 2015 Innovator of the Year awards will be presented Oct. 15 at a reception/dinner starting at 5:30 p.m. at The Center Club, 100 Light Street in Baltimore. Winners will be profiled in a special magazine that will be inserted into the Oct. 16 issue of The Daily Record and available online at www.TheDailyRecord.com.

Sponsors of The Daily Record’s 2015 Innovator of the Year awards include Presenting Sponsor Stevenson University and Visionary Sponsors Epsilon Registration and VPC, Inc.