Association Awards Committee

The Alabama Library Association receives applications for the Annual ALLA Awards presented at the President's Reception during the Annual Convention. The categories are: Eminent LibrarianMerit AwardDistinguished ServiceHumanitarian AwardPublic ServantHonorary MembershipLibrary Roll of HonorIntellectual Freedom, Paralibrarian, and Outstanding Youth Services Award. Description for these awards are below. The nomination form is available as a PDF and a Word document.

Chair

Anna Mary Williford
University of Montevallo
205.665.6108
[email protected]

Deadline

  • April 30, 2023

Nomination Forms

Previous Award Winners


Eminent Librarian Award

a. The Eminent Librarian Award shall be presented to a librarian or an individual in a related field who has been in Alabama for a minimum of ten (10) years and who, during this time, has made an exceptional and enduring contribution toward the development of library service within Alabama.

Merit Award

b. The Merit Award shall be presented to an organization, group, or body of persons, which has made a significant contribution toward the development of library service within Alabama.

Distinguished Service Award

c. The Distinguished Service Award shall be presented to a librarian or an individual in a related field in recognition of leadership in a specific and noteworthy project that has resulted in a significant contribution toward the development of library service within Alabama.

Humanitarian Award

d. The Humanitarian Award shall be presented to a person or an organization that has made a substantial contribution toward the development or improvement of a library or libraries within Alabama.

Public Servant Award

e. The Public Servant Award shall be presented to a person who is or has been a duly elected or appointed public official and who has made a significant contribution toward the development of library services within Alabama during the exercise of said party's service. Based on legal cases as of 1991, a "duly elected or appointed public official" shall be defined as follows:

A public officer is an officer whose functions and duties concern the public. The public officer exercises his/her duties in the interest of the public. A public officer includes all individuals holding public office by election or appointment for a definite period, i.e. United States Senators and Representatives, Alabama Senators and Representatives, mayors, county commissioners, public library board members, etc. A person who receives no commission, takes no oath of office, has no term of office fixed by statue or ordinance, and exercises no portion of the sovereign power of the government, but merely performs duties required of him by officials employing him, is not a public officer, i.e. college presidents and federal, state, county, and municipal employees, etc.

Honorary Membership

f. Honorary Membership may be conferred on a living person whose contribution to librarianship or a closely related field in Alabama is so outstanding that it is of lasting importance to the advancement of the whole field of library science. It is intended to reflect honor upon the Association as well as upon the individual. Nominees shall be living, may be active or retired, and may be nominated by any member of the Association. Nominations must be made for a specific award and cannot be an "either-or" nomination.

Library Roll of Honor

g. The Library Roll of Honor recognizes and honors librarians native to or closely associated with the State of Alabama who have made significant contributions to librarianship in Alabama. For a person to be so honored, he or she must have been a practicing librarian in Alabama. The award is made primarily on the basis of contributions made to librarianship in Alabama but the overall career should also be considered.

Intellectual Freedom Award

h. The Intellectual Freedom Award shall be presented to an individual or group who exemplify the spirit of intellectual freedom. Evidence of such spirit might include documentation of their having written policies or procedures supporting intellectual freedom, having conducted educational programs on the subject in their locale, or otherwise having made an impact in opposing censorship and supporting intellectual freedom.

Paralibrarian Award

i. The Paralibrarian Award shall be presented to an outstanding library employee in a support staff role who has not obtained a professional library degree and has contributed to the advancement of a library, libraries, or library service within Alabama.

Outstanding Youth Services Award

j. The Outstanding Youth Services Award shall be presented to a Children's, Teen, or School Librarian or Paralibrarian who has gone above and beyond in providing their patrons with an innovative, creative, and diverse library program that supports patron learning and growth. This individual has demonstrated an investment in their library program through their leadership, collection development, and programming.