NEW YORK — At the Mukwonago Community Library in Wisconsin, director Abby Armour goes beyond the basic responsibilities of managing books and media for her community.
Armour, one of the ten winners of this year’s “I Love My Librarian Award,” has been diligently working on cataloging around 12,000 Native American artifacts that were gifted to the library during the 1960s.
She is ensuring that these items are rightfully returned to the tribes that have laid claim to them.
Her significant contributions prompted members of the local community to nominate her for this prestigious honor, which is awarded by the American Library Association (ALA).
Each award recipient receives $5,000 along with a $750 stipend intended for the upcoming ALA gathering next month in Phoenix.
The other award-winning librarians are situated across the nation, from Morgantown, West Virginia, to Wailuku, Hawaii.
In a statement released on Monday, ALA President Cindy Hohl emphasized the positive influence that librarians have on their communities.
“The inspiring stories from this year’s I Love My Librarian Award recipients illustrate how their transformative efforts can significantly enhance the lives of their patrons,” she stated.
Among the other honorees, Charlotte Chung, a library media specialist at Suncrest Elementary School in Morgantown, received accolades for her work with hesitant readers and English language learners.
Jessica Gleason, a bookmobile librarian at Wailuku Public Library, played a vital role in supporting residents affected by the 2023 wildfires in L?hain?.
In Laredo, Texas, Analine Johnson is dedicated to aiding students from low-income families at Johnson High School, while Nelson Santana is curating an archive at Bronx Community College that highlights Dominican, Caribbean, and other cultural backgrounds reflective of his students.
Other notable librarians include Jamar Rahming from the Wilmington Institute Free Library in Delaware, who has hosted prominent speakers like Dolly Parton and LeVar Burton, and Theresa Quiner from the Kuskokwim Consortium Library, where she works towards improving access to reading materials for the isolated community in Bethel, Alaska.
Former student Candice Hardy leads the campus resource center at Miles College in Fairfield, Alabama.
Meanwhile, Missy Creed at Ohio State University is actively involved in disseminating reliable health information, and Peggy Griffith at the Ferris School in Wilmington provides support to court-involved teens as they reintegrate into society.
The “I Love My Librarian Award” was initiated in 2008, sponsored by the Carnegie Corporation of New York in collaboration with the New York Public Library.
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This report corrects the spelling of Abby Armour’s last name.
