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Annual Awards
Do you want to recognize that special library colleague? Maryland Library Association is accepting nominations for its awards through November 15, 2024.
Brief information on the awards can be found below. Links to detailed information are on the left-hand menu. Awards will be presented at the MLA Conference in Ocean City, MD, May 7 - 9, 2025.
When submitting an application, please provide enough information and examples to make a strong case for your nominee.
Questions? Please contact Cathy Hollerbach at chollerbach@aacpl.net.
The Maryland Library Association presents these awards:
Distinguished Service Award - recognizes a Maryland resident who has demonstrated effective library advocacy over an extended period of time and whose contribution to libraries transcends the boundaries of one county or political jurisdiction in Maryland.
The Margaret Carty Emerging Leader Award - recognizes a member of MLA working in a library who demonstrates strong leadership potential and encourages the recipient to assume an increasingly responsible role in librarianship. 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.
Honorary Membership - recognizes a lifetime of significant contributions to libraries and librarianship.
Libraries Change Communities Award - Honoring a collaborative effort to promote innovative library-based initiatives involving the community. The award recognizes good practice in any innovative library-related effort that involves communities, demonstrates imagination and innovation, and has the potential to be developed and adapted elsewhere. Community can be defined in the broad or narrow sense depending on the collaborated effort (e.g. school or school districts, state or county agencies). The initiative should affect people’s lives for the better, contribute to equality of access, and impact the end users.
MLA President's Customer Service Award - recognizes outstanding achievement in offering customer service and providing community leadership.
Outstanding Member Award - recognizes a member of MLA who has effectively provided sustained service to MLA and significantly enhanced its mission and goals.
Outstanding Support Staff Award - recognizes a library paraprofessional or support staff member who made a significant contribution to libraries in Maryland. The winner of this award receives a one-year membership to MLA.
Outstanding Volunteer Award – honors a library volunteer in Maryland who exemplifies the positive impact that volunteers can make in libraries through their outstanding service.
Project of the Year - Honoring a project completed by a group of people, exemplifying the highest level of achievement and professional standards and providing inspiration to other libraries. The project must have been operating during the preview calendar year, may involve more than one library and is open to any type of library. The committee considers the project's breadth and how much the library has improved its service due to the project.
MLA also distributes the following awards through separate committees
Marketing Committee - Excellence in Marketing Award which recognizes the talent of communications and marketing personnel within Maryland libraries,while sharing ideas, learning from peers, and validating the importance of library marketing. Submission form.
Maryland Author Award Committee - Maryland Author Award
Blue Crab Award Committee (a division of CSD) - Maryland Blue Crab Young Reader Award
Updated 25 July 2024