Call for Nominations - Michigan Library Awards 2022

Michigan Library Awards 2022 Call for Nominations

MLA Awards Call for Nominations

Do you know someone who deserves recognition and celebration for their work in Michigan libraries? We encourage and welcome your nomination for any of MLA's Awards for recognition at the 2022 Michigan Library Awards Gala, Wednesday, October 19 in Port Huron Michigan.

Help us celebrate and encourage our Michigan library community by recognizing excellence and giving credit where credit is due. We've made it simpler than ever to submit a nomination for MLA's Awards, and you can even select to have your nomination kept on file for consideration in 2023 as well.

Check out complete details and criteria for MLA Awards by downloading the guidelines linked below and submit a nomination (self-nominations are also strongly encouraged) for the 2022 Michigan Library Awards today!

The deadline for nominations is Thursday, June 30, 2022. Submissions will be accepted online only. Click the button below to submit completed nomination packets using the web form. Read on for more information including links to award guidelines.

Questions? If you have any questions about submitting a nomination, please contact Rachel Ash, MLA Membership and Communications Director at [email protected]

SUBMIT A NOMINATION

Lifetime Achievement Award

Sponsored by the Walter H. Kaiser Award

The Lifetime Achievement Award recognizes a deserving librarian for their distinguished service to the library profession over the course of their career. Throughout their career, they have sustained a strong and consistent body of work, demonstrated leadership in their community and in the profession - mentoring and empowering library staff, providing innovative service to their community and enhancing the image and visibility of the library. They promote collaboration among libraries and librarians and have been a catalyst in special areas such as intellectual freedom, library innovation, outreach, and equity, diversity and inclusion.

The recipient of the Lifetime Achievement Award will receive a statuette and monetary award of $400.

Download the Lifetime Achievement Award Nomination Guidelines

Questions? Contact MLA at (517) 394-2774 or [email protected].

SUBMIT A NOMINATION

Public Librarian of the Year Award

The MLA Public Librarian of the Year Award recognizes a public librarian’s outstanding accomplishments and contributions to the library community. The MLA Librarian of the Year has been awarded for more than thirty years. In 2020, the Librarian of the Year Award qualifications were updated to recognize a public librarian and the name of the award was changed to Public Librarian of the Year.

Library staff who have earned an MLS or equivalent master’s degree and currently work in a Michigan public library, have at least five (5) years of library experience, and have demonstrated a commitment to Michigan libraries may be nominated for the award.

The recipient of the Public Librarian of the Year Award will receive a statuette and monetary award of $200.

Download the Public Librarian of the Year Award Nomination Guidelines

SUBMIT A NOMINATION

Heart of a Champion Award

The Heart of a Champion Award, established in 2012, recognizes a library supporter who has shown an exceptional commitment to libraries or the library profession. Winners of this award will show their support to the library profession through continued advocacy, supporting or providing funding for the local library, or continued support of Michigan Library Association activities.

The recipient of the Heart of a Champion Award will receive a statuette and monetary award of $100.

Download the Heart of a Champion Award Nomination Guidelines

SUBMIT A NOMINATION

Rising Star Award

The Rising Star Award, previously named the Up & Comer Award, was established in 2012 to recognize a librarian who shows leadership early in their career.

Since 2012, the Rising Star Award has recognized a library employee who shows leadership early in their career. While new to the field, they expand the profession by being forward-thinking and moving libraries into the future.Anyone who is currently working in a Michigan library, library cooperative or library-related non-profit for five (5) years or less may be nominated for the award. Self-nominations are welcome.

The recipient of the Rising Star will receive a statuette and monetary award of $100.

Download the Rising Star Award Nomination Guidelines

SUBMIT A NOMINATION

Frances H. Pletz Award for Excellence in Service to Youth

The Frances H. Pletz Award for Excellence in Service to Youth is given annually to a Michigan library staff person who has made an outstanding contribution to the field of library service to youth throughout their career. The award is named for Frances H. Pletz, a former Executive Director of MLA, because of her exemplary library service to teens in our state. This award was established in 1978 by the Young Adult Division of the Michigan Library Association and was given to a teen librarian. In 2010, the Pletz Award was combined with the Children’s Services Award of Merit to create the Frances H. Pletz Award for Excellence in Service to Youth. Anyone who is currently employed by a library in Michigan and has at least three years of experience in a public library may be nominated for the award.

The recipient of the Frances H. Pletz Award for Excellence in Service to Youth will receive a statuette and monetary award of $100.

Download the Frances H. Pletz Award Nomination Guidelines

SUBMIT A NOMINATION

Library Support Staff of the Year Award

The Library Support Staff of the Year Award was established in 2020 to recognize a support staff professional who goes above and beyond to provide support at their library and who has advanced and strengthened the image of support staff. Any person with a paid, non-MLS position in a Michigan library that supports library services and operations is eligible. Professional positions with distinct areas of expertise such as finance or human resources specialists may be nominated, in addition to directors. Positions that provide support to the operations of library services also are eligible including but not limited to library pages, maintenance workers, library assistants, technical service support staff, delivery drivers, marketing staff, and operations directors.

The recipient of the Library Support Staff of the Year Award will receive a statuette and monetary award of $100.

Download the Library Support Staff of the Year Award Nomination Guidelines

SUBMIT A NOMINATION

State Librarian's Excellence Award

The Library of Michigan Foundation's State Librarian's Excellence Award will be awarded to a library of any type (public, academic, school, special, tribal, etc.), including branch libraries, that exemplifies excellence in customer service. One (1) library in the state of Michigan will receive this prestigious award each year. The recipient library will receive a $3,000 cash prize and a trophy for display in its public area. Two Library of Michigan Foundation Citations of Excellence will be presented and the recipient libraries will each receive $1,000 and a small trophy for display.

The application info and link to the online application may be found at: www.Michigan.gov/MiStateLibrarian

The absolute deadline for nominations is Friday, August 12, 2022. There will be no extensions. Submissions will be accepted online only.

Contact: Lori Poznanski-Mason, Administrative Assistant to the State Librarian Library of Michigan. Email: [email protected] Phone: 517-335-1518