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Click here to download award nomination guidelines and requirements.
Review the Criteria and Eligibility below.
Category
This award recognizes a librarian’s distinguished service and leadership in Illinois libraries. Generally, the librarian so honored will have made an impact locally, statewide, and nationally. However, if an individual’s service is unusually outstanding on one level, then the nomination can rest on that area alone. Librarians so honored will have demonstrated a commitment to libraries, and especially Illinois libraries, which can serve as a model for others in the profession.
Eligibility
The eligible librarian is any professional staff member of an Illinois library. The recipient must be a personal ILA member or be employed at an institution that is an ILA member.
Criteria
The award recipient shall meet at least two of the following criteria:
- active membership in ILA, as evidenced by attendance at conference and workshops, participation on ILA committees or forums, or other support of the association;
- leadership role in ILA;
- positive contributions to the library field, such as research, publications, innovative program development, etc.; and
- outstanding work on a particular aspect of library service in the home library of the nominee, e.g., grant award, successful referendum for tax or bonds for library construction, outstanding public relations program, etc.
An official nomination shall consist of a letter of nomination justifying the nomination in light of the criteria above. Letters of support will not be considered. Instead, the nominator is asked to list references with which the committee may consult, if additional information about the nominee is required.
One or more awards may be presented.
Award Winners
The recipient will receive a certificate and a $500 financial award.
Please note that monetary award amounts are subject to change without notice and are contingent upon sponsor funding supplied at the time the award is presented.
Nomination Deadline
May 15
Nomination Submissions
The nominator’s statement of support should address all criteria under the individual awards as outlined. Nominator must submit the nomination form and attach all support statements, letters, and documentation, etc. required by the award’s criteria. ILA must receive all nominations by May 15.
Previous Librarian of the Year Award winners
? Camille Radmacher
? Mary Radmacher
? Alex Ladenson
? Alphonse Trezza
? Peter Bury
? Lester Stoffel
? Frank Dempsey
1974 Julius “Jack” R. Chitwood
1975 Harold J. Rath
1976 Ruth Gregory
1977 Edna Holland
1978 Robert McClarren
1979 Alice Lohrer
1980 Ray Howser
1981 no award
1982 Kay Gesterfield
1983 ?
1984 Melvin George
1985 Irma Bostian
1986 Alexander W. Todd
1987 Herbert Goldhor
1988 Joan Roeder
1989 Alice (Betty) McKinley
1990 Marlene Deuel
1991 Bridget Lamont
1992 Valerie Wilford
1993 Beth Mueller
1994 Fred M. Peterson
1995 Jane B. Shaw
1996 James Ubel
1997 no award
1998 Michael J. Madden
1999 Sarah Ann Long
2000 Frederick Schlipf
2001 Marilyn Boria
2002 Ruth E. Faklis
2003 Carolyn A. Anthony
2004 Kathleen M. Balcom
2005 James B. Casey
2006 Anne B. Craig
2007 Mary A. Dempsey
2008 Sharon Ruda
2009 Robert W. McKay
2010 Anne M. Hughes
2011 Su Erickson
2012 Sally Decker Smith
2013 Carole A. Medal
2014 Stephen Bero
2015 Amanda McKay
2016 Tina Hubert
2017 Diana Brawley Sussman
2018 Betsy Adamowski
2019 Brian Shepard
2020 Roberta Koscielski
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