(via the American Library Association)
The American Library Association (ALA) is inviting all library users to nominate their favorite librarians for the prestigious I Love My Librarian Award. The national award recognizes the outstanding public service contributions of librarians working in public, school, college, community college or university libraries. Nominations are accepted here, now through Monday, November 9, 2020. Amid the COVID-19 pandemic, librarians have gone above and beyond to continue serving their communities, from offering digital programs and materials to providing hunger relief and much-needed Wi-Fi access. Nominees are encouraged to reflect on how their librarians’ creativity, passion and expertise have made an impact during these unprecedented times.
Ten librarians will each receive $5,000 in recognition of their outstanding achievements. Awardees will be honored at the virtual I Love My Librarian Award ceremony on Jan. 23, 2021, which will take place during ALA’s Midwinter Meeting & Exhibits; winners will also receive free full conference registration as part of their award packages. Since the award was established in 2008, library users nationwide have submitted more than 20,000 nominations detailing how librarians transformed their communities’ inclusivity, digital access and literacy. Over the last decade, only 120 librarians have received this distinguished honor. Last year’s winners included a school librarian who helps rural students discover new worlds through virtual reality technology, an academic librarian who leads a first-of-its-kind book club for adults with intellectual disabilities and a public librarian who created an innovative resource center for refugees and immigrants.
To be eligible for the award, each nominee must hold a master’s degree in library and information studies from a program accredited by the ALA or a master’s degree with a specialty in school library media from an educational program accredited by the Council for the Accreditation of Educator Preparation (CAEP). Each nominee must be currently working as a librarian, or have been employed as a librarian on March 1, 2020, at a qualifying institution in the United States: public library, library at an accredited two- or four-year college or university or library at an accredited K-12 school.
To view the full announcement, please go here.