ALA President Maureen Sullivan receives Greenaway Award for Distinguished Service in Librarianship

STURBRIDGE, Mass. – American Library Association (ALA) President Maureen Sullivan is the 2012 recipient of the New England Library Association’s (NELA) Emerson Greenaway Award for Distinguished Service in Librarianship in recognition of Sullivan’s diligent library advocacy efforts.

Sullivan has presented extensively at state, regional and national library conferences on transforming libraries and librarianship, leadership, improving work relationships, creating the collaborative organization, generational synergy, cross-cultural communication and making the case for the value of libraries.

As the president of the ALA, Sullivan is at the helm of the oldest and largest library association in the world, which provides leadership for the development, promotion and improvement of library and information services and the profession of librarianship in order to enhance learning and ensure access to information for all.

“As a proud native daughter of New England (Norwich, Conn.), I am honored and very pleased to receive this award,” said Sullivan. “It has been a privilege to work with so many NELA members throughout my career, especially all of those who have participated in the New England Library Leadership Symposium.”

In 1988 New England Library Association President Christine Kardokas established the “Great Librarian Award” to recognize the contributions of exceptional librarians. The first recipient to be honored for his outstanding achievements was Emerson Greenaway, an innovator in library organization and practice in the mid-twentieth century. Two years later this regional tribute was renamed the Emerson Greenaway Award to honor the memory of its first recipient. The award is offered annually by NELA to recognize distinguished service in the field of librarianship.

The award was presented to Sullivan at the New England Library Association’s (NELA) Annual Conference banquet on Sunday, Oct. 14, by NELA Past-President Jen Alvino Leo.

About the New England Library Association

Officially chartered in 1963, the New England Library Association is a regional organization whose membership represents a wide range of library‑related interests.

Its objectives are to initiate, plan and support regional activities; to encourage the exchange of ideas; to cooperate with regional and national agencies having related interests.