Jo Angela Oehrli Selected as the 2017 Recipient of the LIRT Librarian Recognition Award Winner

The Library Instruction Round Table (LIRT) of the American Library Association has chosen Jo Angela Oehrli, Learning Librarian at the University of Michigan, Shapiro Undergraduate Library as the 2017 recipient of the LIRT Librarian Recognition Award. The Librarian Recognition Award was created to recognize an individual’s contribution to the development, advancement and support of information literacy and instruction. Oehrli was chosen as the 2017 winner based on her contributions at the national, state and local levels in support of information literacy and instruction. The award will be presented to Ms. Oehrli as part of the LIRT 40^th Anniversary Celebration on Saturday June 24, 7-9 PM at the Hilton Chicago Williford Room A during the ALA Annual Conference in Chicago.

Michael Saar, chair of the 2016 Awards Committee, noted Oehrli’s extensive leadership in promoting information literacy, program creation and her strong publication record as determining factors in the committee’s selection of her as this year’s winner.

Ms. Oehrli emphasis on critical pedagogy and applying best practices in library instruction has impacted her library colleagues as well as the university as a whole since her arrival in 2009. In addition to taking a leadership role in integrating the ACRL Framework for Information Literacy into instruction at the University of Michigan, Ms. Oehrli has also spearheaded professional development for instruction librarians beginning with a 2012 committee on continuing education (chaired by Ms. Oehrli) and leading to the inception of the biennial Michigan Instruction Exchange (MIX) Conference where instruction librarians from around the state gather to share ideas and best practices. Her research in incorporating data literacy into instruction is even more impressive and is poised to have an impact on all level of library instruction. Ms. Oehrli and her research team were recently award a $240,000 Laura Bush 21^st Century Librarian Grant to high school librarians abilities in teaching data literacy ideas such as ethical data use and statistical literacy. Ms. Oehrli complements all these efforts with a strong service record having served on the LOEX Advisory Council and chaired the LIRT Top 20 Committee. These are just a few of her many accomplishments.

When notified of the award, Oehrli stated, “I’m proud to be a LIRT member and honored to receive this award from an organization that has done so much to promote information literacy in all types of libraries. Thank you.”

The Library Instruction Round Table was started in 1977 with the intent to bring together librarians who provide library instruction across all types of libraries -- academic, public, school, and special libraries. 2017 is the fourth year that the Librarian Recognition Award has been awarded. Ms. Oehrli will be presented with a $1,000 cash prize and a plaque at the LIRT 40^th Anniversary Celebration, scheduled for 7-9 PM on Saturday, June 24, at ALA Annual in Chicago. She will also receive a $500 travel stipend for attending ALA annual.

Visit LIRT's webpage to find out more about LIRT, its mission and the awards.

LIRT Librarian Recognition Awards Committee included Michael Saar of Lamar University (Chair), Sherri Brown of the University of Kansas, and Joshua Vossler of Southern Illinois University Carbondale. The ALA Office for Human Resource Development and Recruitment (HRDR) serves as the liaison to the Library and Instruction Round Table (LIRT).

This page was created on behalf of the Library Instruction Round Table (LIRT) by the ALA Office for Human Resource Development and Recruitment (HRDR). For additional assistance, comments or questions please contact HRDR at hrdr@ala.org.

Related Links

The Library Instruction Round Table (LIRT)

Office for Human Resource Development and Recruitment (HRDR)