PLA Announces 2002 Service Award Winners

For Immediate Release
From: Nicole Wheatley
February 2002
1-800-545-2433, ext. 5026

Winners of eight distinguished service awards have been announced by the Public Library Association (PLA), a division of the American Library Association (ALA).

PLA's Advancement of Literacy Award. The Advancement of Literacy Award was awarded to the Center for Literacy, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Sponsored by Library Journal, the award is given to a publisher, bookseller, software dealer, foundation or similar group that has made a significant contribution toward the advancement of adult literacy.

Allie Beth Martin Award. Merle Jacob, Director of Library Collection Development at the Chicago Public Library in Chicago, Illinois, was named to receive the $3,000 award donated by sponsor Baker & Taylor. This award recognizes a public librarian for demonstrating a range and depth of knowledge about books and other library materials and the distinguished ability to share that knowledge.

The Baker & Taylor Entertainment Audio Music/Video Product Award Grant went to the Signal Mountain Public Library of Signal Mountain, Tennessee. This grant offers the selected library $2,500 in audio music and video products for its circulating collections.

PLA's Charlie Robinson Award has been awarded to Gary Strong, Library Director at the Queens Borough Public Library in Jamaica, New York. This award recognizes a public library director for implementation of innovative change.

The Demco Creative Merchandising Grant was awarded to the Isaac F. Umberhine Public Library in Richmond, Maine. The grant, sponsored by Demco, Inc., provides $1,000 cash and $2,000 worth of supplies to a public library proposing a project for the creative display and merchandising of materials either in the library or in the community.

PLA Excellence in Small and/or Rural Public Library Service Award. The recipient of this award is the Wallow County Library in Enterprise, Oregon. EBSCO Subscription Services donated $1,000 to honor a public library serving a population of 10,000 or fewer that demonstrates excellence in service to its community as exemplified by an overall service program or a special program of significant accomplishment.

The Highsmith Library Innovation Award was awarded to the Santa Fe Springs City Library in Santa Fe Springs, California. A plaque and a $2,000 honorarium are provided by Highsmith, Inc., the award's sponsor, to recognize a public library's innovative or creative service program to their community.

New Leaders Travel Grants were awarded to Jill Rourke, Library Director of the Saluda County Library in Saluda, South Carolina; Katherine Clowers, Branch Manager at the Pamlico County Library in Bayboro, North Carolina; Angela Meyer, Library Director at the Dodge Center Public Library in Dodge Center, Minnesota; and Karen Yanetta, Library Director at Mendham Borough Library in Mendham, New Jersey. GEAC Inc. donates up to $5,000 to support the professional development and improve the expertise of public librarians new to the field by making possible their attendance at major professional development activities.

PLA will recognize all award winners at the PLA President's Reception and Awards Presentation during the American Library Association's 2002 Annual Conference in Atlanta, Georgia. The Reception will take place on Monday, June 17, 2002, from 5:00 until 7:30 p.m. at the 755 Club at Turner Field, 755 Hank Aaron Drive. Toni A. Garvey, PLA President, will preside.

For more information, call the PLA office, 800-545-2433, ext. 5PLA, or see PLA's web site at http://www.pla.org.

Public Library Association Membership Tops 10,000

Toni Garvey, President of the Public Library Association (PLA) expressed her thanks to all PLA members on the release of the latest membership figures. PLA, as of March 31, 2001,has 10,050 members, the largest membership in the association's history. PLA is the second largest division of the American Library Association. The Association of College and Research Libraries (ACRL) is largest with 10,741 members, followed by the American Association of School Librarians (AASL) with 8,706. "I'd like to thank every new member and every renewing member. We are an essential and vibrant organization, and we couldn't do our important work without all of you," said Garvey. The boost in membership figures can be attributed to PLA's recent conference, which boasted record-breaking attendance figures. PLA is a division of the American Library Association.

New PLA Products Aid Recruitment Efforts

The Public Library Association has developed a number of products to aid in the ongoing effort to recruit public librarians into the profession. The association has developed a comprehensive recruitment website (www.pla.org) that contains testimonials from real-life librarians on why they chose public librarianship; educational requirements; scholarships information and links; salary data and other resources; and an informative look at the public library world entitled "public library fast facts." In addition to the website, colorful "Ask me why I love my job" buttons are available for .25 each and brochures entitled "Public Librarianship: Imagine the Possibilities" are available for free. The order form for the buttons and brochures (credit cards only) is available at www.pla.org/projects/button.html or call PLA at 800-545-2433, ext. 5PLA to place a telephone order. PLA also will present a program at the upcoming ALA Annual Conference that will address the shortage of public librarians and detail current recruitment efforts. "Where Have All the Librarians Gone - Strategies for Recruiting and Retaining Them" will be held on Sunday, June 16, 1:30 - 3:30 p.m. For more information visit the PLA web page at www.pla.org. PLA is a division of the American Library Association.