Call for Nominations: 2017 VLA Awards
Deadline to submit nominations is June 1.
Nominations should be submitted through the online form below. You do not need to be a VLA member to submit a nomination.
The Academic Innovator Award
This award recognizes academic librarians or academic project teams who have made an outstanding contribution to advance the mission of an academic library in Virginia through an innovative project, program or service during the nomination period. (calendar year 2016 for award given in 2017)
The Public Library Innovator Award
This award recognizes public librarians or public library project teams who have made an outstanding contribution to advance the mission of a public library in Virginia through an innovative project, program or service during the nomination period. (calendar year 2016 for award given in 2017)
The Up and Comer Award
This award recognizes a librarian who shows leadership early in his or her career. While new to the profession, he/she expands the role of librarian with forward-thinking efforts that help move libraries into the future. Winners of this award will be energetic librarians, with less than five years of professional experience, who push the boundaries of originality and creativity.
Donna G. Cote Librarian of the Year Award
The award recognizes exemplary achievement of a working Virginia librarian who has made a significant contribution(s) at any level of librarianship during the nomination period. (calendar year 2016 for award given in 2017) It is named after Ms. Cote who worked for the award-winning Central Rappahannock Regional Library for 44 years, serving as Library Director for 34 years.
A dedicated public servant and visionary leader, she made access for all her motto and provided cutting-edge technologies and learning opportunities for library customers the driving force of the library's mission. Ms. Cote was the recipient of numerous awards including the Elizabeth M. Lewis Award from the Virginia Public Library Directors Association (VPLDA) and was named Outstanding Library Director in 2003 by VPLDA.
VLA is also accepting nominations for the following awards:
George Mason Award
The award may be presented to an individual librarian, library or organization distinguished for advocacy of libraries and/or information access, or to an institution, business, or academic program whose activity has contributed to the development, growth and extension of library and information services in the local community, the state, or nationally.
Honorary Life Membership
Eligibility for nomination should be confined to Trustees or former Trustees, Friends of a Virginia library and Virginia librarians who have held membership and who have made outstanding contributions to the association.
Friends of the Library Award
This award is presented to a Friends group in recognition of distinguished service to libraries or a library in Virginia.
Trustee Library Award
This award recognizes the distinguished service to libraries or a library in Virginia. The Trustee honored may have served on the local, state, regional, or national level, or at a combination of levels.
The winners of the awards will be honored at the VLA Annual Conference, October 11-13, 2017 at The Main, Norfolk, VA. On Wednesday evening, October 11, VLA will host an Awards and Scholarship Banquet from 6:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m.
VLA also offers The Outstanding Professional Associates Award; the VLA Professional Associates Forum Award; and the VLAPAF Supporter of Professional Associates Award in conjunction with the VLA Professional Associates Conference each Spring.
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On September 28, 2017, the Virginia Library Association’s Diversity & Inclusion Forum will present Path to Librarianship: VLA Diversity Career Night at Boatwright Library, University of Richmond @ 7pm.
The 2017 recipient of the VLAPF Clara Stanley Scholarship is Whitney Nelsen from Frederick County, VA. Currently, Whitney works for the Handley Regional Library and for the Loudoun County Public Library. She says, “In the library I can feel the impact I’m making, whether I’m working with a doctoral candidate who is doing research for their dissertation or with a homeless person who needs information on community resources. My dedication to helping others and serving the community is what will help me succeed in librarianship.” Whitney has been active in VLA since 2017. She is obtaining her MLIS degree from Valdosta State University. 
The 2017 recipients of the two VLA Scholarships are Stephani Moore and Lauren Triola.
Lauren Triola is from Fredericksburg, VA where she commutes to work for the Prince William Public Library in Dumfries. Her goal is to use cataloging to, “help make libraries and their collections continue to be accessible to everyone, especially to marginalized communities, who often are cut off from important educational resources.” Lauren is working toward her MLS from Clarion University of Pennsylvania.
