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Click here to download award nomination guidelines and requirements.
Review the Criteria and Eligibility below.
Purpose
Formerly the Golden Ticket Award, this annual award is presented to a non-degreed (MLIS) individual working in the Youth Services Department who has made an outstanding local contribution in library services to young people in his/her community by creating and implementing library programs and/or initiatives that promote a love of learning and positively impacts the lives of children.
Eligibility
The recipient should be a non-degreed (MLIS) individual working directly with children in an Illinois library setting. Individuals may nominate themselves or be nominated by others. Nominees need not be a personal member of ILA. Current members of the Youth Services Forum are ineligible for this award and may not submit a nomination.
Criteria
The nomination should consist of the completed ILA nomination form and a written statement of no more than four pages. The written statement should include:
- Examples of innovative and dynamic programs, outreach efforts, services or collection development for youth up to eighth grade, initiated and presented by nominee within the past two years
- How such programs and initiatives have benefited the library and its community
- Why the nominee deserves this award
Optional: A maximum of three pages of supporting pictures and a maximum of five promotional flyers may also be included.
Award
The recipient will receive a one year personal membership to ILA (if already a personal member, he/she will receive a free one year renewal of his/her membership), and a $400 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.
If a group, department, or organization is chosen as the award winner, the individual members of the group will be collectively recognized. 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 Golden Ticket Award winners
2007 Camille Rose
2008 Noël Zethmayr
2009 Elsie Martinez
2010 Magi Henderson
2011 Kathryn Mitchell
2012 Victoria Rakowski
2013 Lindsay Huth
2014 Rhonda Johnson
2015 Gail Lundgren
2016 Rosie Camargo
2017 Sue McCowin
2018 Marissa Elera
2019 Natalie Williams
2020 no award
2021 Shelley Harris
2022 Mandy O'Brien
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