The Margaret Carty Emerging Leader Award

Previous Winners

Purpose
This award is named after former MLA Executive Director Margaret Carty who was an outstanding mentor and colleague to new librarians and MLA members at various stages of their career. The purpose of the Maryland Library Association Emerging Leader Award is to recognize a MLA member working in a library who has demonstrated strong leadership potential and to encourage the recipient to assume an increasingly responsible role in librarianship.

Eligibility
Any MLA member with less than ten years of experience working in a library, has been a member of MLA for at least one year at the time of nomination, and is currently employed in a library is eligible for the Award. No person may receive the Award more than once.

Criteria
The recipient of the Award will have met these criteria:

  • Demonstrated strong communication skills
  • Demonstrated initiative and creativity
  • Created a positive vision, communicated it to others and inspired and guided others to achieve it
  • Played an increasing leadership role in libraries and library associations, including MLA
  • Demonstrated a commitment to the future of library service in his/her work or professional activities