WINDSOR, Ontario (Oct. 19, 1999) The Windsor Public Library was awarded a Gold Medal at the Technology in Government Distinction Awards gala, held Oct. 18. The Library accepted the award on behalf of its partners in the WERLnet project, the City of Windsor, Greater Essex County District School Board and Windsor-Essex Catholic Distict School Board.

Distinction Awards are designed to formally recognize leadership, innovation and excellence in the management and use of information technologies to improve service delivery. The Windsor Essex Regional Library network project, or WERLnet, implemented a state-of-the-art library automation system shared by all partners and available over the Internet. "We're absolutely thrilled that this innovative project has been recognized at a national level by the leaders in the information industry," said Steve Salmons, Windsor Public Library Chief Executive Officer.

Phil Adams, director of Technology Services for the City of Windsor, noted, "This is the first of what we hope to be many joint projects among these partners who are now working together to create a community network."

"I'm very pleased that the hard work by the members of the WERLnet team over the last three to four years has been recognized by this distinction," said Val Pistor, director of the Greater Essex County District School Board.

Michael Moher, director of the Windsor-Essex Catholic District School Board, was equally pleased.

WERLnet was one of 230 projects nominated from all three levels of government from coast to coast. It is the first Gold Medal winner in the newly created "Innovative Service Delivery in the Municipalities" awards category and was selected by the Federation of Canadian Municipalities.