(via the Illinois Library Association)
Kathleen L. Bloomberg, formerly the Associate Director of Operations of the Illinois State Library and now recently retired, is the 2017 recipient of the Illinois Library Association Hugh Atkinson Memorial/Demco Award. The award recognizes an individual, group, program, or institution for sustained activity and contributions having a lasting impact on librarianship.
Kathleen serviced at the Illinois State Library for 32 years. The Illinois State Library has been a driving force for the development and promotion of libraries at the state level. Kathleen played a prominent role as a leader at the State Library. During that time she was known to be an advocate of interagency cooperation.
During her career at the Illinois State Library, Kathleen served as the editor of the journal Illinois Libraries. Copies of the journal were distributed freely among the libraries in the state and to interested libraries outside Illinois. The journal, though discontinued now, was helpful in promoting library development and advocacy.
Kathleen’s contributions to library cooperation and development throughout her long and distinguished career make it especially appropriate to honor her in the name of Hugh Atkinson, whose own career was so notably dedicated to library cooperative endeavors.
The Atkinson Award will be presented at the Awards Luncheon held on Tuesday, October 10, during the 2017 Illinois Library Association Annual Conference in Tinley Park.