2025 ALA Award Winners

Every year, the American Library Association (ALA) recognizes the achievements of more than 200 individuals and institutions with an array of awards honoring their service to librarians and librarianship. Chosen by juries of their colleagues and peers, winners embody the best of the profession’s leadership, vision, and service as well as a continued commitment to outreach and equity, diversity, and inclusion (EDI).

Award recipients were honored at a June 29 ceremony and reception during ALA’s 2025 Annual Conference and Exhibition in Philadelphia. This selection represents only some of those recognized in 2025. For a complete list of winners, visit ala.org/awards.

Scholastic Library Publishing Award

Clare Graham

As director of the Malvern–Hot Spring County (Ark.) Library, Graham acts as its public face, ensuring people have access to library services. “Libraries are the place people go when they don’t know where to go,” Graham said. “That’s huge, because we offer services to people of all ages, all backgrounds, of all status.”

Graham is being honored with this award for her commitment to the library’s many outstanding programs, including book giveaways and a Library of Things. On learning she had received it, she said, “It is both an incredible honor and a testament to the hard work and dedication we pour into our library and its mission. Winning this award means so much to me personally, as it validates the passion I feel for empowering individuals through knowledge and resources.” Read more.

This $1,000 award honors a librarian whose unusual contribution to the stimulation and guidance of children’s and young adults’ reading exemplifies outstanding achievement in the profession. Donor: Scholastic Library Publishing

Lemony Snicket Prize for Noble Librarians Faced with Adversity

Sara Turner

Turner is deputy director and children’s librarian at Lewiston (Maine) Public Library (LPL), the second largest library in the state and one that serves a large number of immigrants and refugees. She has spearheaded initiatives to create safe spaces for difficult conversations, fostering dialogue that brings people together.

In the aftermath of the 2023 Lewiston mass shooting that killed 18 people and injured 13 others, Turner ensured that LPL became a hub of healing. City departments, the FBI, and community members gathered to work through unimaginable loss. Recognizing the community’s need for solace, Turner also expanded the library’s resources on bereavement.

As a dedicated youth services leader, Turner has also worked to provide new books to every child participating in the summer reading program. She has been a powerful advocate for improved workplace policies, ensuring that library staff receive the support they need to serve the public. Read more.

This award annually recognizes a librarian who has faced adversity with integrity and dignity intact. The honoree receives $10,000 and an object from author Daniel Handler’s private collection. Donor: Daniel Handler (Lemony Snicket)

ALA Medal of Excellence

Janet Hyunju Clarke

Clarke, associate dean of research and learning at Stony Brook (N.Y.) University Libraries, is the principal investigator of Ready for Success, a project to more effectively integrate research skills into high school curricula by helping teachers scaffold smaller lessons throughout the year. The Ready for Success initiative transformed instruction at Brentwood (N.Y.) High School, where students learned to break down the research process into smaller, attainable skill sets. Through a train-the-trainer approach, Clarke and her team developed a comprehensive curriculum to update teacher education about information literacy principles and equip educators with the tools to strengthen student research and information literacy skills.

Those efforts culminated in the Ready for Success Summit, which gathered more than 100 teachers, librarians, and school administrators to exchange best practices in research and information literacy. To date, this project has reached more than 1,200 educators and high school students on Long Island, New York, with plans to expand to more schools. Read more.

This $2,000 award annually recognizes creative leadership, particularly in the fields of library management, library training, cataloging and classification, and the tools and techniques of librarianship. Sponsor: OCLC/Forest Press Inc.

Joseph W. Lippincott Award

Clara Bohrer

Bohrer’s impact on the field of librarianship includes contributions such as her leadership role in Every Child Ready to Read, a joint initiative of the Public Library Association (PLA) and the Association for Library Service to Children (ALSC) that has been adopted by more than 6,000 libraries nationwide. She served as a key architect of the curriculum and then as first chair of the PLA Family Engagement Task Force. Bohrer is also past director of West Bloomfield Township (Mich.) Public Library (WBTPL). Under her guidance, WBTPL earned the Institute of Museum and Library Services’ National Medal for Museum and Library Service in 2010.

Bohrer has served on the boards of three ALA divisions: ALSC, PLA, and the Young Adult Library Services Association. Her leadership roles include serving as PLA president (2004–2005) as well as a PLA fiscal officer (2019–2025). During her several terms on the PLA Budget and Finance Committee, she oversaw the division’s financial health and secured substantial funding for major initiatives. Read more.

This $1,500 award recognizes distinguished service in the profession of librarianship. Donor: Joseph W. Lippincott III

Beta Phi Mu Award

Natalie Greene Taylor

Taylor, associate professor and director of University of South Florida’s School of Information in Tampa, has developed an extensive record of scholarship. Currently an editor for the journal Library Quarterly, she has published articles in such journals as School Library Research, Journal of Information Science, Computers & Education, and Journal of Documentation, and she has coauthored four books: Foundations of Information Literacy; Foundations of Information Policy; Digital Literacy and Digital Inclusion; and Libraries, Human Rights, and Social Justice.

Taylor has edited two books, Libraries and the Global Retreat of Democracy and Perspectives on Libraries as Institutions of Human Rights and Social Justice. She has also served in leadership roles for numerous organizations, such as the Association for Library and Information Science Education. Read more.

This $1,000 award honors a library school faculty member’s achievement or another individual’s distinguished service to education for librarianship. Donor: Beta Phi Mu International Library Science Honor Society

ALA/Information Today Library of the Future Award

Columbus (Ohio) Metropolitan Library

In 2023, Columbus (Ohio) Metropolitan Library (CML) formed an Artificial Intelligence (AI) Task Force, a cross-functional team dedicated to understanding AI’s impacts and implications while also responsibly exploring its potential for librarianship and the communities served by libraries. The task force developed three primary goals: increase overall CML stakeholder awareness and knowledge of AI developments; help CML staff understand the potential influence of AI on their work and workforce; and help CML staff understand the potential impact of AI on patron behaviors, as well as on service and program expectations.

The task force, in collaboration with CML’s Adult Services team, created a comprehensive training program for staff, including the four-week Summer of AI Training Series. This series covered essential topics such as prompt engineering, creating visual art using generative AI, and practical use in the library. Additionally, the team developed compact graphics outlining the history of AI, its environmental impact, and various AI services. CML’s commitment to equipping its staff with AI knowledge and tools has empowered more than 800 employees to confidently serve patrons. Read more.

This $1,200 award honors a library, library consortium, group of librarians, or support organization for innovative planning for, applications of, or development of patron training programs about information technology in a library setting. Donor: Information Today Inc.

Paul Howard Award for Courage

Desiree Mallette

Mallette, library paraprofessional at Mosaic Preparatory Academy in New York City, has demonstrated remarkable courage that has greatly benefited the library and the entire school community. Mallette has prioritized her role by consistently supporting her students and treating everyone with the highest level of respect and professionalism. She ensures that students have access to the books, resources, and supportive environment they require. Read more.

This $1,000 award honors a librarian, library board, library group, or individual for exhibiting unusual courage benefiting library programs or services. Donor: Paul Howard Memorial Fund

ALA/EBSCO Information Services Library Staff Development Award

Library Freedom Project’s March for Libraries

The Library Freedom Project (LFP), a network of value-driven librarians working together to build an information democracy, serves all librarians (school, public, academic, professional, legal, and private) throughout the country. It works to expand the reach and impact of the annual March for Libraries event, which offers professional development opportunities, community engagement activities, and statewide advocacy initiatives in Tennessee. Cassandra Mae Taylor launched March for Libraries in 2024 during her tenure as chair of the Tennessee Library Association’s Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Committee. Taylor is manager of Rutherford County (Tenn.) Library System’s Smyrna branch.

LFP’s target audience for this program includes library professionals, library supporters, community members, and students. The project’s goal is to offer a full day of professional development surrounding library advocacy, with March for Libraries taking place in the morning and Library Legislative Day taking place in the afternoon. Read more.

This $3,500 award honors a library organization for a program to further its staff development goals and objectives. Donor: EBSCO Information Services

Ernest A. DiMattia Award for Innovation and Service to Community and Profession

Erin Sniderman

Sniderman, outreach librarian at Hampton Falls (N.H.) Free Library (HFFL), is being honored for her leadership in expanding the outreach program at HFFL. She also took a leading role in the library’s strategic planning process. As part of that plan, she established and expanded contact with town entities, established a common town calendar, and collaborated on the celebration of the National Bicentennial of Lafayette’s Farewell Tour. Because of Sniderman’s efforts, the library has received several grants to support its outreach and programming needs.

In addition, Sniderman—a master gardener, horticulturalist, and certified environmental consultant—is creating a library campus that includes usable outdoor spaces surrounding the library and other town buildings. Read more.

This $5,000 award recognizes one or more public librarians who demonstrate leadership in anticipating emerging trends in services, products, and technologies that will enhance the library’s position in its community. Donor: The DiMattia Family

Ken Haycock Award for Promoting Librarianship

Kelvin Watson

Watson, executive director of Las Vegas–Clark County (Nev.) Library District (LVCCLD), has a deep history of industry and community engagement that has spotlighted the library profession, attracted broad attention beyond the library realm, and inspired others in their career choices. Before moving to public libraries, Watson used his business degree to work in marketing, sales, product development, and business development at Ingram Library Services, the Borders Group, and The Library Corporation, as well as the USDA National Agricultural Library. Watson went on to leverage those experiences at Queens (N.Y.) Public Library, Broward County (Fla.) Library, and now LVCCLD.

Watson’s impact on the community has enhanced public recognition and appreciation of public libraries. In addition to the many awards and accolades LVCCLD has garnered, Watson’s civic work and community activism have been recognized with the City of Las Vegas African American Trailblazer Award, a spot among the International Career and Business Alliance Global 100 Leading Black Professionals, and the NAACP Las Vegas Chapter James Anderson Visionary Award. Read more.

This $1,000 award honors an individual for contributing significantly to the public recognition and appreciation of librarianship through professional performance, teaching, and/or writing. Donor: Ken Haycock

Equality Award

Kennesaw (Ga.) State University Libraries Recruitment and Retention Task Force

The Kennesaw (Ga.) State University (KSU) Libraries Recruitment and Retention Task Force has shown a strong commitment to making library hiring fairer and more transparent. By addressing biases and creating equitable hiring practices, the task force has helped build a more inclusive academic library workforce. Its efforts have not only improved KSU Libraries but also created a model to inspire change nationwide.

The task force’s work directly tackles structural inequities in recruitment and retention, thereby promoting lasting change in the profession. It has created not only a better hiring and onboarding process but also an adaptable framework that other libraries can replicate. Its hiring guide—currently an internal LibGuide—ensures that these principles remain part of the institution’s hiring culture and establishes an example for other libraries. Read more.

This $1,000 award honors an individual or group for an outstanding contribution that promotes equality in the library profession.