AASL has announced the recipients of its 2016 awards. AASL awards and grants recognize excellence and showcase best practices in the school library field in categories that include collaboration, leadership and innovation. Recipients of this prestigious program are celebrated for their outstanding talent and dedication to the profession.

• National School Library Program of the Year Award
  Awarded to: Veterans Memorial Elementary School, Naples, Florida
  Sponsored by Follett, the award annually recognizes a school library program that meets the needs of the changing school and library environment and is fully integrated into the school’s curriculum. Recipient receives a crystal obelisk and $10,000.
• Distinguished Service Award
  Awarded to: Hilda Weisburg, retired school librarian and editor of “School Librarian’s Workshop”
  Sponsored by Baker & Taylor, the $3,000 award recognizes an individual member of the library profession who has, over a significant period of time, made an outstanding national contribution to school librarianship and school library development.
• Collaborative School Library Award
  Awarded to: School librarians Deborah Floyd and Stephanie Stargardt and Language Arts Teacher Joshua Forbes from G. W. Carver Middle School in Chester, Virginia
  Sponsored by Upstart, the $2,500 award recognizes and encourages collaboration and partnerships between school librarians and teachers in meeting goals outlined in AASL’s program guidelines through joint planning of a program, unit or event in support of the curriculum and using school library resources.
• Distinguished School Administrator Award
  Awarded to: Kathleen Procopio, Principal, Millville (N.J.) High School
  Sponsored by ProQuest, the $2,000 award is presented to a school administrator who has made worthy contributions to the operations of an exemplary school library and to advancing the role of the school library in the educational program.
• Frances Henne Award
  Awarded to: Kate Lechtenberg, School Librarian, Ankeny Community Schools, Des Moines, Iowa
  Sponsored by ABC-CLIO, the $1,250 award enables a school librarian with five or fewer years in the field to attend an ALA Annual Conference or AASL National Conference for the first time.
• Innovative Reading Grant
  Awarded to: Andrea Catania-Stephenson, School Librarian, El Camino Fundamental High School, Sacramento, California
  Sponsored by Capstone, the $2,500 award supports the planning and implementation of a unique and innovative program for children that motivates and encourages reading, especially with struggling readers.
• Roald Dahl’s Miss Honey Social Justice Award
  Awarded to: Ann Yawornitsky, school librarian, and 6th grade reading teachers Jennifer Sarnes and Melissa Zawaski from Wilson Southern Middle School, Sinking Spring, Pennsylvania
  Sponsored by Penguin Random House, the award recognizes and encourages collaboration and partnerships between school librarians and teachers in teaching social justice through joint planning of a program, unit or event in support of social justice using school library resources. The award includes $2,000 to the librarian, up to $1,000 in reimbursement towards travel and housing to attend the AASL awards presentation at the ALA Annual Conference, and a $5,000 book donation by Penguin Random House.
• The Ruth Toor Grant for Strong Public School Libraries
  Awarded to: Stephanie Hewett Rous, School Librarian, Corinth Holders High School, Wendell, N.C.
  Sponsored by Jay Toor, the award provides funding support on a competitive basis to public school libraries for the creation and implementation of a local public awareness/marketing campaign that promotes and positions their school library as a necessary resource in the community. The grant includes $3,000 to create and implement a project, and $2,000 for both the school librarian and school official to attend the AASL national conference or the ALA Annual Conference.

The AASL award winners will be honored at the AASL Awards Ceremony during the 2016 ALA Annual Conference in Orlando. The ceremony will be held from 9 – 11 a.m. on Saturday, June 25. All are welcome to celebrate the accomplishments of their peers during this recognition event taking place prior to the AASL President’s Program.

Author: Jen Habley

Jen Habley is the AASL Manager of Web Communications. She manages the AASL websites, writes press releases, coordinates AASL’s online learning opportunities, and oversees AASL’s web 2.0 tools. When not working, Jen spends time researching her family tree, reading, and watching hockey.

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