For immediate release | January 13, 2026
ALA Medal of Excellence Award Nominations Open
CHICAGO - Nominations are now open for the ALA Medal of Excellence Award. The award is presented to an individual with outstanding creative leadership, especially in the areas of library management, library training, cataloging and classification, as well as the tools and techniques associated with librarianship.
The ALA Medal of Excellence Award sponsored by OCLC. The winner receives a $2,000 and a framed citation of achievement that is given at the ALA Awards Ceremony at the 2026 ALA's Annual Conference, in Chicago, IL.
To nominate please complete the online application. The nominations must be accompanied by a specific statement of qualifications of the nominee. Supporting evidence or testimonials are welcome.
Deadline: March 1, 2026
Check out some past winners at the bottom of this webpage.
About the American Library Association
The American Library Association is the largest non-partisan, nonprofit organization dedicated to America’s libraries. The ALA mission is to empower and advocate for all libraries and library workers to ensure equitable access to information for all. For 150 years, ALA has provided resources for information professionals to transform their communities through essential programs and services. For more information, visit www.ala.org.
Contact:
Marsha P. Burgess
Governance Officer
American Library Association
Governance
mburgess@ala.org800-545-2433 ext. 3204
