Trustee of the Year Award

Not sure how to get started with your nomination?

Click here to download award nomination guidelines and requirements.

Review the Criteria and Eligibility below. 

Purpose

This annual citation is awarded to a public library trustee for achievement, leadership, and service to libraries.

Eligibility

The nominee must be a personal member of ILA (or serve as Trustee at an institution that is an ILA member)  and have made a significant contribution to his/her local library. Eligibility includes participation in two of three levels of service (system, state, and national activities) and demonstrated evidence of quality leadership ability.

Criteria

The written support statement should not contain the nominee’s name and be attached to the fully completed Nomination for Recognition form. The written support statement should detail the following:

  • contributions to local library, system activities, and involvement on the state and national levels;
  • years of service, offices/positions/ committees, and accomplishments;
  • notable leadership qualities; and
  • any other relevant information.

A note on the selection process for the Trustee of the Year Award: the ILA Trustee Forum Executive Board selects the winner. 

Award Winners

The recipient will receive a certificate.

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. If more than one individual nominates the same person, only one nominator will be invited to attend the Award Ceremony. ILA must receive all nominations by May 15.


Previous Trustee of the Year Award Winners

1949    Sven F. Parson; Mrs. George Mathis
1950    Spenser Ewing; Anna Felt
1951    Alice Seton Berens; Genevieve Long
1952    Valentine Dadant; Lena Jones
1953    Joseph B. Fleming; Irving Dillard
1954    Mrs. A.W. Errett; Mrs. Robert S. John
1955    George W. Bunn, Jr.; Beatrice Tuttle
1956    Fred B. Pattee
1957    Henry B. Terry
1958    Judge Dan Withers
1959    no award
1960    Mrs. Henry C. Warner; special award to Mrs. A.W. Errett
1961    Mrs. Richard Kuhns
1962    Jennie L. Kaeser
1963    Berlyn Pierce
1964    Marguerite B. Louis
1965    Dorothy Corrigan
1966    ?
1967    Leo Heffington
1968    Karl Bauer; Jean Downs
1969    Marilyn Broyles
1970    Matthew Witczak
1971    no award; Alice Ihrig honorably recognized
1972    Lola Reed
1973    Dorothy Phares
1974    ?
1975    Clarence Best
1976    Dorothy Stuebner
1977    Marilyn Boyles
1978    Evelyn Yurdin
1979    Deborah Miller; Alice Coleman
1980    Betty Simpson; Virginia Maulding
1981    James Fitzgerald
1982    Jerry Podesva
1983    Jerrie Lea Hopf; Joan Yetter
1984    Joe Pacholik
1985    Ula Brazier
1986    Maralyn Cunningham
1987    Mark Weber
1988    Madeleine Grant
1989    Harold Hungerford
1990    Lewis Gordon
1991    Nina Wunderlich
1992    Anna L. Donoghue
1993    Edgar Jackson
1994    Ruth Newell
1995    Barbara Burroughs
1996    Fabian Lewandowski
1997    Anna Wallace Standifer
1998    Rose E. Mosley
1999    Jane Rowland
2000    Virginia McCoy
2001    Barry Levine
2002    Robert Lyons
2003    Donald W. McCurry
2004    Richard P. Frisbie
2005    Janet Kelenson
2006    John Dittmer
2007    Karen H. Hannah and Donald L. Roalkvam
2008    no award
2009    Mary Ann Ahl
2010    Margaret J. Danhof and Noreen Lake
2011    Jacqueline Hinaber
2012    Carol Vaughan Kissane
2013    Kimberly D. Johnson
2014   Linda McDonnell and William Coffee
2015   Kathryn Lind Caudill
2016   Jay Kasten
2016   Mary Jo Akeman
2017   Dave Barry
2018   Katrina Arnold
2019   Debbie Smart
2020   Dr. Ronald Rodgers

2021   Christine Westerlund 

2022   Joseph Filapek
2023   Becky Keane

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