Time Short to Nominate State’s Top Librarians; CT Seeks Another Stand-out Year
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Nominations for the 2013 Carnegie Corporation of New York/New York Times I Love My Librarian Awards are open through September 6. For Connecticut librarians, last year’s success will be tough to top.
The I Love My Librarian Award encourages library users to recognize the accomplishments of exceptional public, school, college, community college, or university lib
rarians. It is a collaborative program of Carnegie Corporation of New York, The New York Times and the American Library Association.
Ten librarians in 2012 – including two from Connecticut - received a $5,000 cash award, a plaque and $500 travel stipend to attend an awards reception hosted by The New York Times. A plaque was also given to each award winner’s library.
Rachel Hyland, a reference and collection development librarian at Tunxis Community College in Farmington, and Rae Anne Locke, library/media specialist at the Saugatuck Elementary “Secret Garden” Library in Westport, were two of the 10 recipients a year ago. The others worked at libraries in New Mexico, California, North Carolina, New York and Florida.
In order to be eligible, each nominee must be a librarian with a master’s degree from a program accredited by the ALA in library and information studies or a master’s degree with a specialty in school library media from an educational unit accredited by the National Council for the Accreditation of Teacher Education.
Nominees must be currently working in the United States in a public library, a library at an accredited two- or four-year college or university or at an accredited K-12 school.
Hyland (left), nominated by Sally Terrell, is described as “a rock-star librarian. The intelligence, wit, energy she brings to her work has changed the way all of us – from students to faculty to administrators – think about information literacy.” Locke (right) , nominated by Melissa Augari, has “poured her heart and soul into planning, creating and growing the SES Secret Garden Library, a vibrant, warm and inviting place that is much more than a school library. It is truly the learning hub for our entire school community.” Her collaborative projects “often reach out beyond the school community” and one student said simply, “it’s magical.”
In order to nominate a librarian, five questions must be answered on the contest’s website:
- What sets him/her apart?
- Please list a few ways in which the nominee has helped you and made your experience of the library a positive one. For instance, did the nominee inspire in you a love for literature; assist you in a project or finding other information?
- How has the librarian made a difference in the community?
- How has the library, and the nominee, improved the quality of your life?
- How does the nominee make the library a better place?
More information is available at www.ilovelibraries.org. Nominations must be submitted using the online form, and submitted in their entirety.
