Last week on Dec. 8th,10 librarians from around the country were recognized for their service to their communities, schools and campuses as winners of the Carnegie Corporation of New York/New York Times I Love My Librarian Award. The I Love My Librarian Award is an initiative of the American Library Association and is administered with the generous support of the Carnegie Corporation of New York and the New York Times. The award “encourages library users to recognize the accomplishments of exceptional public, school, college, community college, or university librarians.”1The 10 librarians were selected from more than 2,000 nominations nationwide. Each honoree received a $5,000 cash award, a plaque, and a $500 travel stipend to attend the awards ceremony and reception. The awards ceremony and reception were hosted at The TimesCenter, located in the heart on New York City’s bustling Times Square District. This year’s winners included Venetia V. Demson, of DC Public Library’s Adaptive Services Division: a librarian who makes the library easier to use for people with disabilities; Michelle Luhtala of the New Canaan High School Library, an innovator who integrates technology throughout her school for improved collaboration among students and teachers and Jennifer O. Keohane of the Simsbury Public Library, a business outreach librarian who creates a space for the unemployed and local business community to learn new skills, network and collaborate.2 For the complete list of winners, click on the following link: http://www.pio.ala.org/visibility/?p=3484.
Caroline Kennedy, author, attorney and daughter of former President John F. Kennedy and First Lady Jacqueline Bouvier Kennedy, was the I Love My Librarian Award’s keynote speaker. A transcript of her opening remarks can be viewed here: http://www.pio.ala.org/visibility/?p=3494.
Close to 200 library supporters gathered at The TimesCenter for the Wednesday night awards ceremony. The event also commemorated the one hundred year anniversary of the Carnegie Corporation; and in honor of the 100th anniversary of his organization, Carnegie Corporation President Vartan Gregorian announced that a $5 million grant would be given to the New York City public libraries. 3
Footnotes:
1. American Library Association. (2011). About the I Love My Librarian Award. Retrieved December 13, 2011, from Atyourlibrary.org: http://atyourlibrary.org/ilovemylibrarian/about
2. Admin. (2011, December 9). Carnegie Corporation of New York/New York Times I Love My Librarian award winners announced. Retrieved December 13, 2011, from Visibility @ your library Web site: http://www.pio.ala.org/visibility/?p=3484
3. Staino, R. (2011, December 9). Three Media Specialists Win the 'I Love My Librarian Award'. School Library Journal. Retrieved December 13, 2011, from http://www.schoollibraryjournal.com/slj/home/893006-312/three_media_specialists_win_the.html.csp
