INCOLSA is the recipient of the 2007 WebFeat President's Award for Innovation for its INSPIRE service. The award recognizes innovation in design and function in state-of-the-art information systems.

The WebFeat President's Award for Innovation is presented to libraries with the most innovative federated search systems in each of three categories -- academic libraries, public libraries, and multitype library networks. The winners were chosen from more than 30 nominees for bold innovation in the design of their federated search interfaces and for functionality. INCOLSA was noted for its quality of federated searching integration with the existing INSPIRE Web pages and for its management of INSPIRE's challenging user authentication service. Other winners include Dartmouth College and Cuyahoga County Public Library (Cleveland, OH). Federated search systems allow users to view materials from many online sources using a single search engine. INCOLSA began implementation of INSPIRE federated searching in 2005, and launched the new service in April, 2006.

INCOLSA is the Indiana library network providing leadership in statewide cooperative library activities including resource sharing, training, OCLC services, and the INSPIRE virtual library. INSPIRE puts a research library on the desktop of every Hoosier, with 30 online databases offering 10,000 magazines, encyclopedias, almanacs, and other resources to meet the information needs of all residents of Indiana. Since its inception in 1998, Indiana citizens have searched INSPIRE more than 80 million times. INSPIRE is funded in part by the Indiana General Assembly and by federal LSTA grants.

Additional information: http://www.webfeat.org/releases/4Jan07_Awards07.htm