Ten librarians across the country honored for outstanding public service accomplishments

2014 winners announced for the prestigious Carnegie Corporation of New York/New York Times I Love My Librarian Award

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Dec 02, 2014, 06:07 ET

NEW YORK, Dec. 2, 2014 /PRNewswire/ -- Today, 10 librarians were honored with this year's Carnegie Corporation of New York/New York Times I Love My Librarian Award for demonstrating the critical role librarians play in transforming lives and communities through education and lifelong learning. Selected from a pool of more than 1,000 nominations, the 10 winning librarians join a distinguished group of award recipients. To date, only 70 librarians have received the award since its inception in 2008.

"Each day thousands of dedicated library workers have a profound impact on the quality of life in the communities that they serve," said Courtney Young, president of the American Library Association. "This year's award winners provide us with a glimpse of how library workers are transforming lives through access to technology, bridging community resources and fostering a love for learning. The I Love My Librarian Award provides a rare opportunity for both library patrons and the profession to recognize invaluable community change agents – our nation's librarians."

Library patrons across the country who use public, school, college, community college or university libraries submitted nominations. The nominations detailed stories about how local librarians made a meaningful difference in their lives. One librarian provides literacy resources for underserved populations, including youths detained in a juvenile detention facility, while another established a career center offering tutoring in resume writing, interviewing classes and services to veterans seeking employment opportunities. Another secured a grant to modernize a school library with 21^st century technology to help bridge the digital divide for students.

Each winning librarian will receive a $5,000 prize at an award ceremony and reception to be held in New York City, hosted by The New York Times.

In the United States, there are a total of 165,986 certified librarians and more than 200,000 dedicated library workers who offer services to the elderly, job-seekers, small business owners, families, students and many others. Librarians are continually working to meet the changing needs of library users and the communities they serve.

This year's I Love My Librarian Award recipients are:

Michael Beller
F.W. Olin Library, Mills College
Oakland, Calif.

Cherry Hamrick
Delta Township District Library
Lansing, Mich.

Jessica Elaine Holmes
Westridge Elementary School Library Media Center
Frankfort, Ky.

Lynn Hancock Hurt
Brown Library at Virginia Western Community College
Roanoke, Va.

David Lopez
Santa Ana (Calif.) Public Library

Christine Payne
Appoquinimink High School
Middletown, Del.

Kevin M. Ray
Cleveland Public Library

Ciro Scardina
P.S. 18 School Library
Staten Island, N.Y.

Sarah A. Sugden
Waterville (Maine) Public Library

Frances Yates
Indiana University East
Richmond, Ind.

For more information regarding the 2014 I Love My Librarian recipients, please visit www.ilovelibraries.org/ilovemylibrarian.

About Carnegie Corporation of New York
Carnegie Corporation of New York was established by Andrew Carnegie in 1911 "to promote the advancement and diffusion of knowledge and understanding." In keeping with this mandate, the Corporation's work focuses on the issues that Andrew Carnegie considered of paramount importance: international peace, the advancement of education and knowledge, and the strength of our democracy.

About The New York Times Company
The New York Times Company (NYSE:NYT) is a global media organization dedicated to enhancing society by creating, collecting and distributing high-quality news and information. The company includes The New York Times, International New York Times, NYTimes.com, INYT.com and related properties. It is known globally for excellence in its journalism, and innovation in its print and digital storytelling and its business model. Follow news about the company at @NYTimesComm.

About the American Library Association
The American Library Association (ALA) is the oldest and largest library association in the world, with more than 55,000 members in academic, public, school, government, and special libraries. The mission of the American Library Association is to provide leadership for the development, promotion and improvement of library and information services and the profession of librarianship in order to enhance learning and ensure access to information for all.

The ALA administered the award through the Campaign for America's Libraries, ALA's public awareness campaign that promotes the value of libraries and librarians.

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SOURCE American Library Association