WLA Awards Announced

A huge congratulations to all the awardees this year! And a special shout-out to Terry Ehle and Kris Adams Wendt, both former chairs of the Youth Services Section and noted youth librarians in our state. Hope all youth librarians going to WLA this fall can come to the ceremony and celebrate these youth librarian leaders! WLA Announces 2024 Award Recipients, Library Hall of Fame Inductees

We are pleased to announce the 2024 WLA award and honors recipients and the inductees into the Wisconsin Library Hall of Fame. They will be recognized at the Awards & Honors Ceremony during the WLA Annual Conference on November 7, 2024, at the KI Convention Center in Green Bay. Many thanks to the Awards & Honors Committee, the WLA/WEMTA Intellectual Freedom Award Selection Committee, and the Wisconsin Library Hall of Fame Steering Committee for their hard work, and to everyone who submitted a nomination.   To learn more about these outstanding award recipients, visit the WLA website and the Wisconsin Library Heritage Center website. Library of the Year University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire McIntyre Library, Eau Claire WLA/DEMCO® Librarian of the Year Terry Ehle, Youth Services Coordinator, Lester Public Library, Two Rivers Paralibrarian of the Year Danielle Zeamer, Library Services Associate, Brown County Library, Green Bay Trustee of the Year John Van Dyck, Brown County Library, Green Bay Programming Innovation Award The Library Memory Project from Bridges Library System, Waukesha Citation of Merit Kristen Mildenhall, Friends of the Middleton Public Library, Middleton Muriel Fuller Award Anita Taylor Doering, Archives Manager, La Crosse Public Library, La Crosse  WLA/WEMTA Intellectual Freedom Award Rebecca Puhl, Library Director, Phillips Public Library, Phillips.   2024 Wisconsin Library Hall of Fame Kristine "Kris" Adams Wendt Dr. Mohammed M. Aman (1940 - 2024) Kurt Kiefer Carla J. Stoffle   Awards & Honors Dinner  If you have already registered for the conference and now would like to register for the Awards and Honors Dinner and Ceremony, please fill out this separate registration form and select "Other Attendee."  Tickets are $39.00 per person.    AWARDS & HONORS DINNER REGISTRATION

Congratulations Aram Public Library!

The Aram Public Library in Delavan, where our fabulous YSS current past-chair is youth services librarian/assistant director, was recently announced as the winner of the WLA Programming Innovation Award for their Summer Storyteller series. 

The WLA Awards and Honors Committee writes: "The Summer Storyteller series, designed and implemented by the Aram Public Library in Delavan, WI, has received the 2021 Programming Innovation Award. This program was developed during the COVID-19 pandemic as a way to virtually bring reading and literacy to the community as well as reconnect the community to local organizations and businesses in Delavan. The program required robust partnerships with the community and was a unique spin on virtual storytimes. The program strove for inclusivity by incorporating American Sign Language and Spanish into their videos, and used both Facebook and YouTube to connect with a broad audience. While the Summer Storyteller series was designed for the enjoyment of children in the community, the videos are enjoyed by children and adults alike, which is evidenced by an average of over 300 views for each episode."

A big congratulations to the library for all their innovative work and to our colleague Katherine! 

Also, congratulations to this year's other award winners: 

John Thompson, IFLS Library System, WLA/DEMCO Librarian of the Year:  

Leon-Saxeville Pine River Library, Library of the Year

Come celebrate the winners at a dessert reception at the WLA  conference on Thursday evening, November 18 7-8:30 pm at the KI Convention Center. To register for the conference, stop here

WLA 2019 Awards: Now Accepting Applications

Honor the innovative and exceptional library services, staff, trustees, and supporters in Wisconsin. Nominate an individual, group, or library for one of the 2019 WLA Awards. 

  

Visit this site (https://tinyurl.com/maauyj3) for a list of awards or see the list below. The criteria, application form, and instructions to apply are listed under each individual award on WLA’s website. Winners will be honored at the WLA Conference during the Awards and Honors Reception. 

Applications are due August 1

  

Questions? Contact Anna Palmer, Awards and Honors Committee Chair, ahpalmer@wisc.edu 

WLA 2019 Awards 

Citation of Merit 

Conferred upon Wisconsin citizens who are neither librarians nor library trustees, who have made outstanding contributions to quality library services. This award may be given to a group of people or an individual. 

Library of the Year Award 

Presented to any type of Wisconsin library, library system or library network for distinguished achievement in service. The staff, library board or administering body, and the community or people served shall all be involved in the work for which recognition is sought. 

The Muriel Fuller Award 

Conferred upon a library professional or paraprofessional in recognition of outstanding accomplishments which have significantly improved and benefited library services. 

Programming Innovation Award 

Presented in recognition of programming leadership in providing innovative and excellent library programming in Wisconsin libraries. Nominated programs may be stand-alone programs, series, passive or cooperative. Programs for all age groups are eligible. 

Special Service Award 

Presented to a group of people or an individual for noteworthy achievement as evidenced by substantial activities and exceptional service to the library profession. The Wisconsin recipient or recipients shall have influence and reputation beyond the local community. 

Trustee of the Year Award 

Conferred upon an outstanding Wisconsin library trustee. The trustee must be in actual service during all or part of the year in which he or she is honored. 

WLA/DEMCO Librarian of the Year Award 

In recognition of a librarian's outstanding leadership and accomplishment in library service. The librarian must be currently employed, at the time of selection, in any field of librarianship in Wisconsin and must be a current member of the WLA. 

Nominate Someone!

Pixabay image

WLA Awards nomination time is here again.  What an opportunity to nominate a valued peer, board member, library or innovative program to receive deserved recognition!

I really can't say it better than Leah Langby, our current YSS past chair, does in this Keeping Up with Kids blog post!

Go ahead, you know you (or a posse of you) can boost a colleague or library doing amazing work for their community!!

Tessa Michaelson Schmidt is WLA's Librarian of the Year!

Tessa Michaelson Schmidt - a.k.a.,
Librarian of the Year!

The Wisconsin Library Association recently announced their annual award winners. We are positively over the moon to celebrate one of the award winners in particular: Tessa Michaelson Schmidt is Librarian of the Year, an award given for outstanding leadership and accomplishment in library service.

Tessa's name is familiar to probably every youth services librarian in Wisconsin. In her work with the Department of Public Instruction's Public Library Development team, Tessa travels around the state working with library systems to bring exciting and vital programs to public libraries of all shapes and sizes. From continuing education opportunities to the awesome Growing Wisconsin Readers program, Tessa's work with DPI enriches the services that public libraries are able to provide.

It's incredibly exciting for Tessa to be receiving this well-deserved honor. Her positive energy and constant support for youth and special services in public libraries is hugely appreciated.

It's safe to assume we're Kermit-levels of excitement about this announcement!!

Let's show some YSS love for Tessa! If you'd like to leave a note for Tessa celebrating her as Librarian of the Year, please feel free to do so in the comments section!

Read about Tessa's work at the DPI website.

WLA will honor Tessa and the other annual award winners at the Annual Conference, which is coming up in just a few weeks!

Awards Reception
5:30-7:00 PM Thursday, November 6 

You will also have the opportunity to hear Tessa speak about leadership in youth services in this session:

Homegrown Leadership for Youth Services Librarians: Cultivating Your Inner Leader
2:45-3:30 PM Wednesday, November 5

Nominate One of Your Peeps for an Award

The Wisconsin Library Association Awards & HonorsCommittee is accepting nominations for the Citation of Merit, Special Service Award, Muriel Fuller Award, Trustee of the Year, Library of the Year, and Librarian of the Year through Friday, June 20. We know there are some outstanding youth services people out there who deserve to be nominated.  But who will nominate them?  Maybe it will be you!!  Let's give a shout-out to the librarians among us who inspire and challenge us.

To learn more about these and other awards available through the Wisconsin Library Association and to find the nomination form visit http://wla.wisconsinlibraries.org/awards-scholarships/awards/wisconsin-library-association-awards.

More Awards for People You Admire!

Consider nominating your favorite librarian for these awards!  Deadlines coming soon!

The Carnegie Corporation of New York/New York Times I Love My Librarian Award recognizes the accomplishments of exceptional public, school, college, community college, or university librarians. Maximum award: $5,000, a plaque, and $500 travel stipend to attend an awards reception in New York hosted by The New York Times. Eligibility: school, public, college, or university librarians. Deadline: September 12, 2012.

 Here's another one for a librarian who's new to the field:

For those who are new to the profession, try this one!  What a great way to encourage a new colleague and get them involved with WLA:

The Wisconsin Library Association and the New Members Roundtable are pleased to announce a new annual award opportunity!  The “Rising Star” award will be given to a person realtively new to his or her library career who has made an outstanding contribution to his or her library and/or community in the past year. Nominees should have been active in a Wisconsin library community for at least one year but do not have to be a WLA member.  The recipient of this award will receive a one year WLA membership and be recognized at the WLA Annual Conference Awards Ceremony.
If you know an individual that has contributed in a significant achievement or project to the Wisconsin library community and deserves to have statewide recognition for their positive actions please submit an application by September 15 to Katharine Clark at kclark@scls.lib.wi.us. Any questions about the award can also be sent to Katharine.

Outreach Services Award Nominations Sought

As Youth Services folks, we all know the importance of outreach, so it is no surprise that youth services librarians are often the winner of this WLA Award.  Do you know someone doing great work in outreach?  I bet you do!  If so, consider taking a few minutes to recognize their contribution to the library world (and for that matter, the whole world) by nominating them for this award!  

 The Outreach Services Round Table is the proud sponsor of the Outreach Services Award, presented annually to a “library or librarian who has provided exemplary library outreach services to underserved populations.”  The award may be for a specific project or projects or for outstanding lifetime achievement in outreach services.  Applications for the Outreach Services Award are due September 17.


The award was inspired by the former Special Needs Consultant for the Wisconsin Division for Libraries, Technology and Community Learning, Frances de Usabel. Frances worked diligently and successfully to advance outreach services in Wisconsin public libraries for many years. Public, academic, school or special libraries and librarians are all eligible and encouraged to apply.

Nominees should be members of the Wisconsin Library Association but need not be members of the Outreach Services Round Table--the winner will receive a one-year membership in the Outreach Services Round Table. The amount of the award is $250. The award will be presented at the WLA Annual Conference Awards Banquet.

If you have any questions about this award, please contact Rene Bue: 
rbue@hedbergpubliclibrary.org

Photo credit: Flickr, jam343