Gwendolyn B. Guster Welch

president of the Birmingham (Ala.) Public Library Board of Trustees

Gwendolyn B. Guster Welch headshot

About

Welch is president of the Birmingham (Ala.) Public Library Board of Trustees and serves as trustee at large on the ALTAFF board. Welch has served as board president for three out of her nine years on the board, has also served as vice president and parliamentarian and has chaired every committee at some point during her tenure. Welch served as a school media specialist from 1975 to 1996 and has also volunteered at Birmingham Public Libraries. She created a “Board Buddies” program, in which new Trustees were paired with experienced library board members. She also serves as a mentor to the newly-appointed president of the local Bessemer Public Library Board of Trustees. Welch nominated one of the 10 winners (out of 1,700 nominees) of the I Love My Librarian Award, Saundra Ross Forrest of Birmingham Public Library.

Awards Won

Title Year
Trustee Citation Award
The ALA Trustee Citation recognizes public library trustees for distinguished service to library development, symbolizes and honors the best contributions and efforts of the estimated 60,000 American citizens who serve on library boards. Trustee service may have been performed on the local, state, regional or national level or at a combination of levels. Equal consideration is given to trustees of small, medium and large public libraries. Citations may not be awarded when there is no sufficiently outstanding achievement brought to the attention of the Awards Committee.

2012 - Recipient(s)