Midwinter Meeting

Arlington librarian receives I Love My Librarian Award

SZALUSKY — Mon, 10 Jan 2022 15:54:48 +0000

Arlington librarian receives I Love My Librarian Award

Yuliana Aceves recognized with national public service honor 

CHICAGO – Yuliana Aceves, community programming librarian at the Arlington Public Library in Arlington, Texas, is a winner of this year’s I Love My Librarian Award. Recognized by the ��ϲʿ��app () for her outreach and programming efforts during the COVID-19 pandemic and beyond, Aceves was selected from more than 1,300 nominations from library users across the country.

Aceves’ programming efforts bring the library front and center to families in the Arlington area, notably those that are primarily Spanish-speaking. Among her many accomplishments, Aceves helped implement the “Stories to Our Children” program, which gives parents the opportunity to write and decorate books to give to their children; leads the “Little Art” program, which provides families with an opportunity to explore different art materials each week; and organized two new programs to encourage dietary wellness and address health concerns in the community.

In 2020, when the library space closed due to COVID-19, Aceves led live virtual programs each week on the library’s social media platforms to engage Spanish speakers. Her nominators note that her Spanish storytimes were the most popular of all the library’s children’s programs, writing, “She has truly been the face of the library for our system and has filmed hours of programs and videos to help us communicate to this audience.”

“Her commitment to community and bringing relevant programs to the community is amazing,” her nominators wrote. “She is truly a gem here in Arlington, and we love that our parents have someone like her as a resource to promote early literacy in the community.”

Aceves and this year’s nine other honorees will each receive a $5,000 cash prize, a $750 donation to their library, and complimentary registration to ’s LibLearnX. The virtual award ceremony will take place during the conference at 3:30 p.m. CT on Saturday, Jan. 22, 2022, and will be available to stream live at https://www.youtube.com/user/AmLibraryAssociation.

Since the award’s inception in 2008, library users have shared more than 20,000 nominations detailing how librarians have gone above and beyond to promote literacy, expand access to technology and support diversity and inclusion in their communities. Information regarding previous award winners can be found on the I Love My Librarian website at http://www.ilovelibraries.org/lovemylibrarian. 

Carnegie Corporation of New York generously sponsors the I Love My Librarian Award. The New York Public Library also supports the award. administers the award through its Communications and Marketing Office, which promotes the value of libraries and librarians. 

About Carnegie Corporation of New York

Carnegie Corporation of New York was established by Andrew Carnegie in 1911 to promote the advancement and diffusion of knowledge and understanding. In keeping with this mandate, the Corporation's work focuses on the issues that Andrew Carnegie considered of paramount importance: education, international peace, and a strong democracy.

About The New York Public Library

The New York Public Library is a free provider of education and information for the people of New York and beyond. With 92 locations—including research and branch libraries—throughout the Bronx, Manhattan, and Staten Island, the Library offers free materials, computer access, classes, exhibitions, programming and more to everyone from toddlers to scholars, and has seen record numbers of attendance and circulation in recent years. The New York Public Library serves nearly 17 million patrons who come through its doors annually and millions more around the globe who use its resources at www.nypl.org. To offer this wide array of free programming, The New York Public Library relies on both public and private funding. Learn more about how to support the Library at nypl.org/support.

About the ��ϲʿ��app

The ��ϲʿ��app is the foremost national organization providing resources to inspire library and information professionals to transform their communities through essential programs and services. For more than 140 years, the has been the trusted voice of libraries, advocating for the profession and the library’s role in enhancing learning and ensuring access to information for all. For more information, visit ala.org.

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SZALUSKY Mon, 01/10/2022 - 09:54

Contact:

Macey Morales

Deputy Director

��ϲʿ��app

Communications and Marketing Office

szalusky@ala.org

(312) 280-4393

Western Carolina University librarian receives I Love My Librarian Award

SZALUSKY — Mon, 10 Jan 2022 15:54:02 +0000

Western Carolina University librarian receives I Love My Librarian Award

Shamella Cromartie recognized with national public service honor

CHICAGO – Shamella Cromartie, associate dean of library services at Western Carolina University, is a winner of this year’s I Love My Librarian Award. Recognized by the ��ϲʿ��app () for her inclusive approach to pedagogy and empowering scholarship within her campus community, Cromartie was selected from more than 1,300 nominations from library users across the country.

Cromartie has centered equity, diversity and inclusion in her programming and service efforts at Western Carolina University, notably in her development and implementation of the library’s Faculty Fellows program. Designed using a competitive application process, the program coaches faculty members in employing inclusive pedagogy in their courses through continuous learning and revision to their approach to teaching and rewards successful applicants with a stipend for their work and funding for inclusive classroom materials. As one of her nominators noted, “Prior to her arrival, I never thought of the library as a space that would lead in diversity and inclusion efforts. She is cultivating faculty pedagogical capacity while simultaneously ensuring our collection is inclusive.”

Colleagues praise Cromartie’s dedication to supporting the research and scholarship efforts of her campus community. In one story from her nomination letter, a professor researching a Black principal and superintendent of the Negro schools in her hometown from the 1920s-1950s sought the principal’s master's thesis, of which only one copy exists. After the professor hit repeated dead ends in trying to work with other librarians to access the thesis, Cromartie “went the extra mile” to work with the holding institution and contextualized the professor’s need and research focus. As the professor wrote, “A month or so later, she walk[ed] in my office with the bound thesis – as I read the pages, I cried.”

“Shamella has a keen sense of observation combined with a deep knowledge of literature and resources,” her nominators wrote. “She uses all of her skills to provide the most student-centered experience. She is a champion for integrated learning and resource development.”

Cromartie and this year’s nine other honorees will each receive a $5,000 cash prize, a $750 donation to their library, and complimentary registration to ’s LibLearnX. The virtual award ceremony will take place during the conference at 3:30 p.m. CT on Saturday, Jan. 22, 2022, and will be available to stream live at https://www.youtube.com/user/AmLibraryAssociation.

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SZALUSKY Mon, 01/10/2022 - 09:54

Contact:

Macey Morales

Deputy Director

��ϲʿ��app

Communications and Marketing Office

mmorales@ala.org

(312) 280-4393

CCNY librarian receives I Love My Librarian Award

SZALUSKY — Mon, 10 Jan 2022 15:53:18 +0000

CCNY librarian receives I Love My Librarian Award

William Gibbons recognized with national public service honor 

CHICAGO – William C. Gibbons, associate professor and curator of archives and special collections at the City College of New York (CCNY), is a winner of this year’s I Love My Librarian Award. Recognized by the ��ϲʿ��app () for the care he brings to his local and campus communities, Gibbons was selected from more than 1,300 nominations from library users across the country.

Gibbons is a pillar in his community and seamlessly blends his personal interests with his professional scholarship, with a particular focus on Harlem as well as local sports. From his involvement with Harlem Little League Baseball to advising on the development of a museum exhibit exploring New York’s basketball history, Gibbons weaves sports and scholarship into unique educational opportunities. Additionally, he has worked to forge partnerships between CCNY and organizations across Harlem, including the New York Public Library’s Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture and the Harlem Documentary Association, to immerse students in the neighborhood’s vibrant cultural identity.

Known to many in his community as a librarian, teacher and mentor, Gibbons has inspired his students to embrace and overcome obstacles. Through the Black Male Initiative, a student development initiative spanning the entire City University of New York system that seeks to support students’ educational success from groups underrepresented in higher education, he has helped forge paths for student participants to become future educators. As his nominator noted, “His work with the Black Male Initiative made it possible for many male college students to find a voice in a world not equipped to embrace them.”

“The face of the everyday person is where William Gibbons does his best work,” his nominator wrote. “He gives his time, his expertise, and his skills to anyone who is lucky to encounter him at the library reference desk.”

Gibbons and this year’s nine other honorees will each receive a $5,000 cash prize, a $750 donation to their library, and complimentary registration to ’s LibLearnX. The virtual award ceremony will take place during the conference at 3:30 p.m. CT on Saturday, Jan. 22, 2022, and will be available to stream live at https://www.youtube.com/user/AmLibraryAssociation.

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SZALUSKY Mon, 01/10/2022 - 09:53

Contact:

Macey Morales

Deputy Director

��ϲʿ��app

Communications and Marketing Office

mmorales@ala.org

(312) 280-4393

Vinton librarian receives I Love My Librarian Award

SZALUSKY — Mon, 10 Jan 2022 15:52:32 +0000

Vinton librarian receives I Love My Librarian Award

Renee Greenlee recognized with national public service honor

CHICAGO – Renee Greenlee, former children and family services librarian at the Marion Public Library (MPL) in Marion, Iowa, and current director of the Vinton Public Library in Vinton, Iowa, is a winner of this year’s I Love My Librarian Award. Recognized by the ��ϲʿ��app () for the deep impact she’s made on her local community, Greenlee was selected from more than 1,300 nominations from library users across the country.

During her time at MPL, Greenlee facilitated and created an abundance of dynamic programming for the Marion community, from engaging toddlers and preschoolers with music and movement and evening “Pajama Story Time” for families to a sensory browsing hour designed to welcome patrons with sensory or behavioral needs. With help from community partners, Greenlee also helped facilitate Marion’s first Pride event, which featured a Pride parade around the library, a drag queen story time, a panel with local LGBTQIA+ agencies and more.

In the summer of 2020, Marion and the surrounding areas were struck by a very powerful windstorm called a derecho, devastating the local community and forcing the library to close its doors permanently. In the storm’s wake, Greenlee worked to provide vital services to the community, helping building inspectors assess the structural safety of homes and staffing temporary technology locations across the city to provide internet access and FEMA assistance. She also started the Marion Derecho Digital Archive to collect the stories, photos and feelings of the community, which is available online and continues to grow.

“Renee has shown her community that passion, perseverance, and patience are our greatest strengths,” her nominators wrote. “Children light up under her attention, teens laugh and discuss, and adults relax and listen. Her dedication to learning and people is something that shines through her and lights the way for others to follow in her path and continue the incredible work that she has begun.”

Greenlee and this year’s nine other honorees will each receive a $5,000 cash prize, a $750 donation to their library, and complimentary registration to ’s LibLearnX. The virtual award ceremony will take place during the conference at 3:30 p.m. CT on Saturday, Jan. 22, 2022 and will be available to stream live at https://www.youtube.com/user/AmLibraryAssociation.

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SZALUSKY Mon, 01/10/2022 - 09:52

Contact:

Macey Morales

Deputy Director

��ϲʿ��app

Communications and Marketing Office

mmorales@ala.org

(312) 280-4393

Decorah librarian receives I Love My Librarian Award

SZALUSKY — Mon, 10 Jan 2022 15:51:38 +0000

Decorah librarian receives I Love My Librarian Award

Shannon Horton recognized with national public service honor 

CHICAGO – Shannon Horton, teacher librarian at the Decorah Community School District in Decorah, Iowa, is a winner of this year’s I Love My Librarian Award. Recognized by the ��ϲʿ��app () for her efforts in creating a welcoming environment for all library users, Horton was selected from more than 1,300 nominations from library users across the country.

Horton has demonstrated a commitment to making sure all of Decorah’s students see themselves represented in the books available in the school’s libraries and bringing that representation into the classroom. She helped the high school’s Gay/Straight Alliance create a traveling display to appear in classrooms for a week at a time and in the library the remainder of the year. Horton has been intentional about purchasing books with LGBTQ characters and has posted signs in the library designating the space a safe zone.

Colleagues highlight Horton’s work as an adviser to the high school’s “Racial Equality Union,” a racially diverse student group that works to educate students’ peers about their experiences as part of a minority. Under her guidance, members of the group created lessons for third-grade students addressing racism and celebrating differences, then built classroom libraries for teachers in the district covering slavery and modern anti-racist work. Books were carefully chosen to be independent reading choices for students as well as read-aloud options that could be led by classroom teachers. As her nominators noted, “The project was a resounding success on many levels, and we could not have pulled it off without Shannon’s expertise and guidance throughout.

“Shannon Horton embodies the energy and dedication of all the essential roles a teacher librarian can serve,” her nominators wrote. “She is fiercely dedicated to best practice in all areas of library science, whether that be teaching media literacy, finding ways for students to connect to books, adding more current titles to the collections, or vetting new technology tools to help teachers and students get the most out of their learning experiences.”

Horton and this year’s nine other honorees will each receive a $5,000 cash prize, a $750 donation to their library, and complimentary registration to ’s LibLearnX. The virtual award ceremony will take place during the conference at 3:30 p.m. CT on Saturday, Jan. 22, 2022, and will be available to stream live at https://www.youtube.com/user/AmLibraryAssociation.

About the ��ϲʿ��app

The ��ϲʿ��app is the foremost national organization providing resources to inspire library and information professionals to transform their communities through essential programs and services. For more than 140 years, the has been the trusted voice of libraries, advocating for the profession and the library’s role in enhancing learning and ensuring access to information for all. For more information, visit ala.org.

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SZALUSKY Mon, 01/10/2022 - 09:51

Contact:

Macey Morales

Deputy Director

��ϲʿ��app

Communications and Marketing Office

mmorales@ala.org

(312) 280-4393

Westover librarian receives I Love My Librarian Award

SZALUSKY — Mon, 10 Jan 2022 15:50:30 +0000

Westover librarian receives I Love My Librarian Award

John Paul Mahofski recognized with national public service honor 

CHICAGO – John Paul Mahofski, librarian at the Eastern Correctional Institution for the State of Maryland (ECI) in Westover, Maryland, is a winner of this year’s I Love My Librarian Award. Recognized by the ��ϲʿ��app () for his dedication to providing exceptional library and information services to incarcerated library users, Mahofski was selected from more than 1,300 nominations from library users across the country.

Mahofski leads by example, going above and beyond to deliver information and resources to the prison population he serves. His nominator, a person who is incarcerated at ECI, notes that Mahofski consistently puts his patrons’ welfare first, even purchasing materials with his own funds if they are unavailable using the library’s resources.

Over the course of his tenure at ECI, Mahofski has started or helped start several programs on behalf of his patrons, including creative writing, typing and summer reading programs and a book discussion group in conjunction with Salisbury University that rewards participants with a certificate of completion. In the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic, as the library space closed to patrons, Mahofski pivoted library services to a “Bookmobile” model, delivering books and information requests to and from people in ECI three times a week.

“To Mr. ‘M,’ which is what most men call him…we all were valued patrons of the library,” his nominator shared, “and he does everything in his power to make the brief time we have in the library an enjoyable and useful experience.”

Mahofski and this year’s nine other honorees will each receive a $5,000 cash prize, a $750 donation to their library, and complimentary registration to ’s LibLearnX. The virtual award ceremony will take place during the conference at 3:30 p.m. CT on Saturday, Jan. 22, 2022, and will be available to stream live at https://www.youtube.com/user/AmLibraryAssociation.

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SZALUSKY Mon, 01/10/2022 - 09:50

Contact:

Macey Morales

Deputy Director

��ϲʿ��app

Communications and Marketing Office

mmorales@ala.org

(312) 280-4393

George Mason University librarian receives I Love My Librarian Award

SZALUSKY — Mon, 10 Jan 2022 15:49:03 +0000

George Mason University librarian receives I Love My Librarian Award

George Oberle recognized with national public service honor 

CHICAGO – George D. Oberle, director of the Center for Mason Legacies, history librarian, and assistant term professor at George Mason University (GMU), is a winner of this year’s I Love My Librarian Award. Recognized by the ��ϲʿ��app () for his amplification of historically underrepresented voices and the dedication he brings to uncovering and teaching about hidden histories, Oberle was selected from more than 1,300 nominations from library users across the country.

Applying his dedicated scholarship in history and his commitment to social justice, Oberle has transformed his campus community and its understanding of GMU’s and its namesake’s racial history through his work establishing and leading the Center for Mason Legacies (CML), an interdisciplinary and collaborative research center housed in the university’s Fenwick Library that seeks to preserve and examine the legacy of George Mason IV, his ancestors and heirs, and the people he enslaved.

Oberle’s work with the CML has culminated in numerous educational resources for the GMU community, including a robust website with an array of primary source materials and a memorial recognizing the individuals enslaved by George Mason in the center of campus. As his nominators note, “By his example and his accomplishments, George has shown that what starts as a small library project can indeed grow into an important asset supported by the entire university.”

“Dr. Oberle’s work with the Center is remarkably pointed and relevant to these times as he and the team work towards uncovering our hidden histories, expanding our historical record and knowledge of both the past and the present, documenting current racial tensions, and seeking a more just future,” his nominators wrote. “He works directly in the spaces combatting erasure and suppression and inspires students and faculty alike as he does so. In these efforts, he embodies not only the time-tested tradition and unique role of libraries in society as knowledge-preservers, but also the knowledge-creation and discovery-learning traditions of research universities.”

Oberle and this year’s nine other honorees will each receive a $5,000 cash prize, a $750 donation to their library, and complimentary registration to ’s LibLearnX. The virtual award ceremony will take place during the conference at 3:30 p.m. CT on Saturday, Jan. 22, 2022, and will be available to stream live at https://www.youtube.com/user/AmLibraryAssociation.

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SZALUSKY Mon, 01/10/2022 - 09:49

Contact:

Macey Morales

Deputy Director

��ϲʿ��app

Communications and Marketing Office

mmorales@ala.org

(312) 280-4393

St. Louis librarian receives I Love My Librarian Award

SZALUSKY — Mon, 10 Jan 2022 15:48:10 +0000

St. Louis librarian receives I Love My Librarian Award

Melissa Pillot recognized with national public service honor 

CHICAGO – Melissa Pillot, librarian and media specialist at Forsyth School in St. Louis, Missouri, is a winner of this year’s I Love My Librarian Award. Recognized by the ��ϲʿ��app () for her outstanding efforts to promote sustainability on her school’s campus, Pillot was selected from more than 1,300 nominations from library users across the country.

At the start of her tenure at Forsyth School, Pillot quickly introduced an array of sustainability-themed programming and instructional initiatives, including storytimes for younger students about caring for the planet and each other and encouraging older students to use information literacy strategies to evaluate recycling facts and myths and communicate their findings. Because of her efforts and their success, she received the school’s annual “Go Green” award within her first year.

One nominator highlighted a multi-week, cross-curricular event Pillot planned in collaboration with the school’s sustainability teacher that focused on single-use plastics and plastic bag usage that would be visible and meaningful to the entire school. Students applied research skills to learn more about the plastics industry lobby, plastic bag production, recycling and alternatives to plastic bags, then calculated how many bags most families use. The students then shared their findings with younger students in a hopeful, empowering way.

“While the pandemic changed many things in our homes and on our school grounds, Melissa continues to be a champion and a steward for the earth,” one of her nominators wrote. “No topic is too big to tackle, and no task is too small. We love our librarian who loves the earth.”

Pillot and this year’s nine other honorees will each receive a $5,000 cash prize, a $750 donation to their library, and complimentary registration to ’s LibLearnX. The virtual award ceremony will take place during the conference at 3:30 p.m. CT on Saturday, Jan. 22, 2022 and will be available to stream live at https://www.youtube.com/user/AmLibraryAssociation.

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SZALUSKY Mon, 01/10/2022 - 09:48

Contact:

Macey Morales

Deputy Director

��ϲʿ��app

Communications and Marketing Office

mmorales@ala.org

(312) 280-4393

San Antonio librarian receives I Love My Librarian Award

SZALUSKY — Mon, 10 Jan 2022 15:47:18 +0000

San Antonio librarian receives I Love My Librarian Award

Talamantes recognized with national public service honor 

CHICAGO – Arnulfo Talamantes, librarian at Sul Ross Middle School in San Antonio, Texas, is a winner of this year’s I Love My Librarian Award. Recognized by the ��ϲʿ��app () for his innovative approach to encouraging literacy and inspiring a love of reading in his students, Talamantes was selected from more than 1,300 nominations from library users across the country.

Talamantes has transformed the culture of reading at Sul Ross Middle School through a number of innovative programs and initiatives, notably the Rebel Bucks program. Applying a bookstore model, students purchase and keep books using campus currency earned through positive behavior in the classroom, with the goal of empowering students and encouraging independent reading through building their own at-home libraries.

Outside of the library’s walls, Talamantes has worked to connect students and teachers with the benefits of outdoor learning by establishing an urban community garden for the school as part of a program called Ross Roots. Colleagues noted Talamantes’ stewardship of the garden has enormous educational and health benefits for the students, particularly teaching students about healthy food alternatives and fostering team-building activities.

“The beauty of literacy, empowerment, and positivity is what [Arnulfo Talamantes] strives for,” write his nominators, “and he has created an imprint of this among all students, staff, and faculty.”

Talamantes and this year’s nine other honorees will each receive a $5,000 cash prize, a $750 donation to their library, and complimentary registration to ’s LibLearnX. The virtual award ceremony will take place during the conference at 3:30 p.m. CT on Saturday, Jan. 22, 2022 and will be available to stream live at https://www.youtube.com/user/AmLibraryAssociation.

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SZALUSKY Mon, 01/10/2022 - 09:47

Contact:

Macey Morales

Deputy Director

��ϲʿ��app

Communications and Marketing Office

mmorales@ala.org

(312) 280-4393

10 winners receive prestigious I Love My Librarian Award for outstanding public service

SZALUSKY — Fri, 07 Jan 2022 16:57:13 +0000

10 winners receive prestigious I Love My Librarian Award for outstanding public service

CHICAGO – Today the ��ϲʿ��app () announced 10 winners of the coveted I Love My Librarian Award. Honorees are exceptional librarians from academic, public and school libraries who were nominated by patrons nationwide for their expertise, dedication and profound impact on the people in their communities.

“Even in these unprecedented times, our nation’s librarians continue to empower their patrons, promote inclusion in their space and collections, and provide essential services for their communities,” said ��ϲʿ��app President Patty Wong. “Congratulations to this year’s I Love My Librarian Award winners, who impact the lives of those they serve every day.”

received more than 1,300 nominations from library users for this year’s award, which demonstrates the breadth of impact of librarians across the country. Hundreds of nominations focused on librarians’ swift and effective response to the COVID-19 pandemic, from hosting virtual programs to distributing books and technology safely to those in need. This year’s award recipients include three academic librarians, four public librarians and three school librarians.

Honorees will each receive a $5,000 cash prize, a $750 donation to their library, and complimentary registration to ’s LibLearnX. The virtual award ceremony will take place during the conference at 3:30 p.m. CT on Saturday, Jan. 22, 2022 and will be available to stream live at https://www.youtube.com/user/AmLibraryAssociation.

The winners are:

Yuliana Aceves

Arlington Public Library, Arlington, Texas

After the library space closed due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Aceves became a bright light for library users in her community. She led weekly virtual programs on the library’s social media platforms, notably her Spanish storytime program for children, keeping library users engaged and connected.

Shamella Cromartie

Western Carolina University, Cullowhee, North Carolina

Cromartie has made the library at Western Carolina University a leader in diversity and inclusion efforts, notably for her development and implementation of a program that coaches faculty to employ inclusive pedagogy in their courses and provides funding for classroom materials.

William Gibbons

City College of New York, New York City, New York

Gibbons is guiding students to academic success through his service at the City College of New York and across Harlem, notably with his involvement with Harlem Little League Baseball, his forging of partnerships with local organizations, and his work with the City University of New York’s Black Male Initiative.

Renee Greenlee

For her work at Marion Public Library, Marion, Iowa

Following a devastating derecho that affected the entire Marion area and forced the library to permanently close its doors, Greenlee provided vital services to the community, including assessing the structural safety of homes, staffing temporary technology locations across the city, and starting a digital archive to collect and preserve stories of how the community was affected.

Greenlee has currently moved to a position with Vinton Public Library in Vinton, Iowa.

Shannon Horton

Decorah Middle School and High School, Decorah, Iowa

Horton has transformed the libraries at Decorah Middle School and High School into more welcoming environments that encourage reading and collaboration within the student population. She has worked to diversify the collection with the addition of books featuring LGBTQ characters and topics addressing racism and celebrating differences so all students can see themselves represented in the books available in their libraries.

John Paul Mahofski

Eastern Correctional Institution, Westover, Maryland

During his time at Eastern Correctional Institution, Mahofski has introduced an array of programs that have improved library and information services for the prison population he serves, including creative writing, typing and summer reading programs, and a “Bookmobile” to deliver books to and from people in the institution.

Tammi Moe

Octavia Fellin Public Library, Gallup, New Mexico

Through forging partnerships with community organizations and city departments across Gallup, Moe has greatly expanded the library’s reach beyond its walls. Under her leadership, the library has offered educational and thought-provoking programming covering historically sensitive topics to the city’s majority-indigenous American community with a presence at a variety of local events.

George D. Oberle

George Mason University, Fairfax, Virginia

A dedicated historian, Oberle has worked to uncover the hidden racial histories of George Mason University and its namesake through his work establishing the university’s Center for Mason Legacies. His work has resulted in numerous educational resources for the campus community, including a memorial in the center of campus recognizing the individuals enslaved by George Mason.

Melissa Pillot

Forsyth School, St. Louis

After joining the Forsyth School, Pillot quickly centered sustainability in the library’s programming and instructional initiatives. Her efforts include storytimes focused on caring for the planet, teaching students to use information literacy strategies to evaluate recycling facts and myths, and planning a multi-week educational event focused on single-use plastics and plastic bag usage.

Arnulfo Talamantes

Sul Ross Middle School, San Antonio, Texas

The culture of reading at Sul Ross Middle School has transformed as a result of Talamantes’ innovative programs and initiatives, notably the Rebel Bucks program that implements a bookstore model under which books can be purchased through campus currency earned through positive behavior in the classroom. Through the program, students are empowered to read independently and build their own libraries at home.

Since the award’s inception in 2008, library users have shared more than 20,000 nominations detailing how librarians have gone above and beyond to promote literacy, expand access to technology, and support diversity and inclusion in their communities. Information regarding previous award winners can be found on the I Love My Librarian website at http://www.ilovelibraries.org/lovemylibrarian. 

The winners of the I Love My Librarian Award are selected by the I Love My Librarian Award Committee. This year’s committee members include: Julius C. Jefferson, Jr., (Chair), Immediate Past President, ��ϲʿ��app; Kathy Carroll, Immediate Past President, American Association of School Librarians; Jon E. Cawthorne, Immediate Past President, Association of College & Research Libraries; Melanie Huggins, President, Public Library Association; and Caryl Matute, Senior Director of Branch Libraries and Patron Services, New York Public Library.

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SZALUSKY Fri, 01/07/2022 - 10:57

Contact:

Macey Morales

Deputy Director

��ϲʿ��app

Communications and Marketing Office