PLA announces 2001 Service Award winners

Contact: Nicole Wheatley


312-280-5026

ALA News Release


For Immediate Release


March 2001

PLA announces 2001 Service Award winners

The Public Library Association (PLA), a division of the American Library Association (ALA), is proud to announce the winners of 10 distinguished service awards.

  • PLA's Advancement of Literacy Award was given to The Providence Journal of Providence, Rhode Island. Sponsored by
    Library Journal, the award is given to a publisher, bookseller, software dealer, foundation or similar group that has made a significant contribution toward the advancement of adult literacy.
  • Nancy Pearl, executive director of the Center for the Book at the Seattle Public Library received the
    Allie Beth Martin Award. The $3,000 award was donated by sponsor Baker & Taylor. The award recognizes a public librarian for demonstrating a range and depth of knowledge about books and other library materials and the distinguished ability to share that knowledge.
  • The
    Baker & Taylor Entertainment Audio Music/Video Product Award Grant went to the Rio Community Library of Rio, Wis. This grant offers the selected library $2,500 in audio music and video products for its circulating collections.
  • PLA's
    Charlie Robinson Award was given to Glen Holt, executive director of the St. Louis Public Library. This award recognizes a public library director for implementation of an innovative change.
  • The
    Demco Creative Merchandising Grant was awarded to the Val Verde County Library in Del Rio, Texas. The grant, sponsored by Demco, Inc., provides a $1,000 award and $2,000 worth of supplies to a public library proposing a project for the creative display and merchandising of materials either in the library or in the community.
  • PLA Excellence in Small and/or Rural Public Library Service Award. The recipient of this award is the Alpine (Ariz.) Public Library. EBSCO Subscription Services donated $1,000 to honor a public library serving a population of 10,000 or fewer that demonstrates excellence in service to its community as exemplified by an overall service program or a special program of significant accomplishment.
  • The Highsmith Library Innovation Award was awarded to the Bartlesville (Okla.) Public Library. A plaque and a $2,000 honorarium are provided by Highsmith, Inc., the award's sponsor, to recognize a public library's innovative or creative service program to their community.
  • The Leonard Wertheimer Award was awarded to the Montgomery County Public Libraries in Rockville, Md. The award, a plaque and a $1,000 honorarium donated by NTC/Contemporary Publishing, recognizes an individual, library, group or organization for outstanding work that enhances and promotes multilingual and/or multicultural public library service.
  • Kevin Barron, branch manager for the Mississippi County Library System was selected to receive the
    New Leaders Travel Grant. The $1,500 travel grant is donated by GEAC Inc. to support the professional development and improve the expertise of public librarians new to the field by making possible their attendance at major professional development activities.
  • The Johnson County Public Library in Overland Park, Kan., has been named the recipient of the
    NTC/Contemporary Publishing Career Materials Resource Grant. The grant, sponsored by the NTC/Contemporary Publishing, provides a $500 award and $2,000 worth of materials (ordered from NTC/Contemporary Publishing) to a public library proposing a project for the development of a career resources collection and program for a target audience either in the library or in the community.

These award and grant recipients will be recognized during the PLA President's Program and Reception on June 18, 2001, from 5 - 7:30 p.m. at the San Francisco City Hall, during ALA's 2001 Annual Conference in San Francisco. Kay K. Runge, PLA president, will preside.

For more information, call the PLA office, 800-545-2433, ext. 5PLA, or see
PLA's Web site.