CHICAGO – The American Library Association (ALA) invites all library users to nominate their favorite librarians for the prestigious I Love My Librarian Award. The national award recognizes librarians working in public, school, college, community college, or university libraries for their outstanding public service contributions. Nominations are accepted online now through Sept. 27, 2021.
ALA member leaders will select ten librarians from thousands of nominations, and each will receive $5,000 in recognition of their outstanding public service. The association will honor award recipients at the I Love My Librarian Award ceremony on January 22, 2022 at LibLearnX in San Antonio, Texas. Winners also will receive complimentary LibLearnX registration as part of their award packages as well as a $750 travel stipend.
Since the award’s inception in 2008, library users nationwide have submitted more than 21,000 nominations detailing how librarians transformed their communities, including efforts to improve inclusivity, digital access, and literacy. To date, only 130 librarians have received this distinguished honor.
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 currently work as a librarian at a qualifying institution in the United States: a public library, a library at an accredited two- or four-year college or university, or a library at an accredited K-12 school.
Since its inception, the philanthropic foundation Carnegie Corporation of New York has generously sponsored the I Love My Librarian Award. The New York Public Library is also a supporter of the award. The ALA 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 Carnegie considered of paramount importance: international peace, the advancement of education and knowledge, 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 American Library Association
The American Library Association 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 ALA 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.
###
Originally published at https://www.ala.org/news/press-releases/2021/06/nominations-are-now-open-i-love-my-librarian-award
