WLA 2025 Merit Awards
Congratulations to the 2025 WLA Merit Award Winners! The WLA Merit Awards offer the opportunity to recognize and highlight the outstanding work ongoing in Washington libraries. On behalf of the 2025 WLA Awards Committee, we're honored to recognize this year's Merit Awards recipients:
President's Award
- 2024 Olympic Library Leadership Incubator (OLLI) Project Team: Eryn Duffee, Gavin Downing, Sam Harris, Mahlon Landis, Jamie Moffett, & Elizabeth Roberts; Awarded by 2024 WLA President Sarah Logan
Candace Morgan Intellectual Freedom Award
- Mary Kinser, Emma Radosevich, Hana Boxberger, & Jonathan Jakobitz; Nominated by Maggie Mae Nase
CAYAS Award for Visionary Library Services to Youth
- Mason Neil; Nominated by Denise Neujahr
Outstanding Service Awards
- Samantha Carterby; Nominated by Michelle Sams
- Kathleen Collins & Emilie Vrbancic; Nominated by Reed Garber-Pearson
- Buffy Jackson; Nominated by Jas Templet
- Jackie Little; Nominated by Jamie Bair
- Nathan Sun-Kleinberger; Nominated by Vaudery Frelix Brown
- Jessica Varang; Nominated by Amanda Six
Volunteer Leadership Award
- Friends of Woodland Library; Nominated by Jennifer Hauan, Judy Musa, Sherry Braga, Jennifer Giltrop
Elementary Teacher-Librarian of the Year
- Candace Ranney; Nominated by Mary Boone
Secondary Teacher-Librarian of the Year
- Heidi Bush; Nominated by JJ Higgins, Catherine Schaeffer
School Library Paraprofessional of the Year
- Kim Knorr; Nominated by Alicia Wilson
Congratulations to this year's recipients, and thank you to all who participated in the nomination process! Winners will be celebrated on Saturday, April 12 at the WLA Conference Awards Lunch in Tacoma.
2025 Merit Awards Timeline
Dec. 4, 2024: Call for nominations
Jan. 17, 2025: Nominations due
Feb. 24, 2025: Award winners notified
Feb. 26, 2025: Winners announced in WLA Wednesday
April 12, 2025: Winners recognized at WLA 2025 Conference
Lifetime Membership Awards
- Emeritus Membership(s): Recognizes an outstanding WLA member who has retired from library service prior to the annual conference, acknowledging consistent and outstanding service in WLA and for their years of service promoting and providing excellence in libraries
- Honorary Membership(s): Recognizes an individual who has supported libraries who is not a library staff member by profession. An individual who demonstrated consistent and prolonged support of library service in Washington, and/or promoted legislative action, and/or participated in statewide committee work and other library activities.
Merit Awards
- Outstanding Service Award: Recognizes outstanding contributions by an individual or group involved in improvement to library services, advances in the profession, advocacy for libraries, service to colleagues, or other outstanding work on behalf of libraries.
- Volunteer Leadership Award: Recognizes individual or group achievement in support of library service, contributed by one or more members of a Trustees, Friends, Foundation, or other volunteer group.
- Candace Morgan Intellectual Freedom Award: Honoring the lifetime contributions of Candace Morgan in support of Intellectual Freedom and the Library Bill of Rights, this award goes to an individual, or group for their efforts to defend, champion, support and/or educate others about Intellectual Freedom in Washington State.
- WLA President’s Award: To be given at the discretion of the current or acting President to reward.
Division and Section Awards
School Library Division
- Elementary Teacher-Librarian of the Year: Recognizes a Teacher-Librarian currently practicing in an elementary school library for outstanding service.
- Secondary Teacher-Librarian of the Year: Recognizes a Teacher-Librarian currently practicing in a secondary school library for outstanding service.
- School Library Paraprofessional of the Year: Recognizes an paraprofessional currently practicing in a K-12 school library for outstanding service.
- Excellence in School Leadership Award: Recognizes an administrator, superintendent or school board member(s) who have demonstrated outstanding school library service and/or positive action on behalf of school libraries.
- School Library Volunteer of the Year: Recognizes individual or group achievement in support of school library service, contributed by one or more members of a Trustees, Friends, Foundation, or other volunteer group.
CAYAS
- CAYAS Visionary Service Award: Recognizes an individual who, through practice and example, provides inspiration and leadership for others who serve children and young adults in libraries. May work in a public, school or special library. May acknowledge cumulated efforts over several years in the field of library service to youth, or may be a singular and exceptional effort that sets new standards for practice. This award will bring attention to the remarkable and tireless efforts of all individuals who work with young people in libraries.
WALE (Being evaluated in 2025)
- WALE Outstanding Employee Award: Recognizes a member of WALE who has made significant contributions to or accomplishments in the library field. May recognize an innovative project or activity for a specific library in Washington or a support staff organization. Project and activities should directly involve support staff working in libraries or information centers and will have had an impact on the status and work of support staff. Individual has been active in WALE serving on a committee or in another leadership capacity.
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