Each year the Georgia Library Association recognizes exemplary library service and advocacy in Georgia through a variety of awards for librarians, library staff, trustees and vendors/friends. Detailed information about the GLA awards nomination process is available below.

Complete a nomination form and write a letter supporting the nomination. Feel free to provide additional documentation about the nominee’s contributions to libraries and/or GLA, but the total file should be limited to 10 pages, please.

The 2023 GLA Awards Nomination is DUE July 31, 2023

Application/Nomination Form – Google Form
Awards Nomination Form 2023 (PDF)
PAST GLA AWARD WINNERS

Bob Richardson Memorial Award

The Bob Richardson Memorial Award was established by the Executive Board in 1999 in recognition of Bob Richardson’s dedicated service to the Georgia Library Association. It honors those who have given outstanding service to the Georgia Library Association.

Qualifications for the Award:

  • Must have made significant contributions to GLA through unselfish, dedicated service to the organization. This service should reflect involvement requiring extensive investment of time and effort.
  • Must be a current member of GLA and have been a member for at least 3 years.
  • All GLA members are eligible for the Bob Richardson Memorial Award.

Charles Beard Library Advocacy Award

The Charles Beard Library Advocacy Award was originally called the Library Advocacy Award. It was renamed in 2003 to honor Charles Beard, Georgia’s strongest library advocate. The Charles Beard Library Advocacy Award is given each year to recognize someone not employed in or by a library who has made outstanding contributions to libraries.

Qualifications for the Award:

  • Must have made outstanding contributions to libraries at either the local, state or national level.
  • Must NOT be a library employee, a library support service employee or a library vendor employee.
  • GLA membership is NOT required.

GLA Mid-Career Award

This award was established by the GLA Executive Board in 2018 to honor significant and ongoing contributions to the library profession, Georgia’s libraries, and the Georgia Library Association by individuals who are in the middle of their library careers. This award honors the accomplishments of recipients while also denoting GLA’s belief in the ongoing potential of the recipients.

Qualifications for the Award:

  • Recipients should be members of the Georgia Library Association at the time of nomination.
  • Recipients should have worked in a library setting for at least 11 years (cumulatively).
  • Recipients contributions to libraries and the Georgia Library Association should be consistent and above and beyond the normal call of duty.
  • Recipients do not have to have a MLIS to receive the award.

GLA Presidential Commendation

This commendation was established by the GLA Executive Board to be awarded beginning in 2018. This commendation is given annually at the GLA Awards Ceremony at the annual conference to honor individuals who have provided excellent service to GLA over the previous year. Up to three (3) commendations may be given each year. The GLA President gives the commendation at their discretion. The commendation consists of a plaque and a complimentary one (1) year membership.

Qualifications for the Award:

  • Recipients should be members of the Georgia Library Association at the time of the award.
  • Recipients contributions to libraries and the Georgia Library Association should be above and beyond the normal call of duty.
  • Recipients are chosen at the discretion of the Georgia Library Association President.

GLA Team Award

GLA Team Award was established by the Executive Board in 2012. This award honors a team that has excelled in the past year by offering innovative programming or services, performing or acting on assessment activities, undertaking a successful outreach or promotion effort, or providing outstanding support of an individual Georgia library or Georgia libraries as a whole. Any group of two or more people, working in a Georgia library (or enrolled in an MLIS program and affiliated with a Georgia library), of whom all are current GLA members, is eligible.

Qualifications for the Award:

  • Team members must have provided an outstanding service to a Georgia library by undertaking one of the initiatives listed above.
  • All team members must be members of GLA.
  • All team members must be either working in a Georgia library or be information sciences or library school students affiliated with a library (student assistants or interns, for example.)
  • Individuals can receive the Team Award multiple times if they are on teams, committees, etc. consisting of different eligible members and formed for separate and independent purposes. If a team has won the GLA Team award in the past and these has been no significant change to the membership of the team, that team is ineligible for this award.

Honorary Memberships

Honorary Memberships are given to retired members of the Georgia Library Association who have contributed significantly to the work of the Association over a period of years. No more than three Honorary Memberships will be presented during any year. A certificate of honorary membership will be awarded during the Annual Conference.

Qualifications for the Award:

  • Must be a person who has held a major office(s) in the Association or who has rendered outstanding service to sections, committees, roundtable, etc.
  • Must be retired from librarianship. GLA members retired from one library position and employed in a new library position are deemed ineligible for GLA Honorary Membership prior to final retirement.
  • Must be a member of GLA upon retirement and have been a member for at least three years.

Library Support Services Award

The Library Support Services Award is given each year to recognize someone employed in a library support profession who has furthered library development or who has made outstanding contributions to Georgia libraries as part of his or her job or business. The award winner could be a vendor employee, an employee of an office or department that supports library services, or an employee of an individual institution.

Qualifications for the Award:

  • Must have provided outstanding support to further library development or made outstanding contributions to Georgia libraries as part of his or her job or business.
  • Must be employed in a library support service profession or be a library vendor or employee.
  • Must NOT be a practicing librarian.
  • GLA membership is NOT required.

McJenkin-Rheay Award

The McJenkin-Rheay Award was established by an anonymous donor and approved by the Executive Board on July 17, 1981. It is given to recognize an early career librarian who has made outstanding contributions to the Georgia Library Association, to leadership as exemplified by the careers of Virginia McJenkin (school libraries) and Mary Louise Rheay (public libraries).

Qualifications for the Award:

  • Must have made outstanding contributions to GLA as an individual new to the profession.
  • Must currently be employed in a Georgia library and have been employed in a Georgia library for three years.
  • Must be a graduate of a library school accredited by the American Library Association or approved by the Board of Regents of the University System of Georgia, or an NCATE approved master’s degree program in media education.
  • Must have completed a master’s degree within the last 10 years.
  • Must be a current member of GLA and have been a member for at least 3 years.

Nix-Jones Award

The Nix-Jones Award is given to a practicing librarian for distinguished service to Georgia Librarianship. It recognizes substantial contributions to the library profession, such as: stimulation of library development, leadership in library programs, unusual and imaginative services, and outstanding support of Georgia’s libraries.

Qualifications for the Award:

  • Must have made substantial contributions to Georgia librarianship at the state level.
  • Must currently be employed in a Georgia library and have been employed in a Georgia library for at least 3 years.
  • Must be a graduate of a library school accredited by the American Library Association or approved by the Board of Regents of the University System of Georgia, or an NCATE approved master’s degree program in media education.
  • Must be a current member of GLA and have been a member for at least 3 years.

Nora Symmers Library Staff Award

The Nora Symmers Library Staff Award was established by the Executive Board in 2001. It is named in honor of Nora Symmers, an outstanding paraprofessional member of GLA. The Nora Symmers Library Staff Award recognizes an individual’s contribution to GLA and the Library Staff Division through their efforts to promote and support the Library Staff Division and to encourage library staff participation in GLA.

Qualifications for the Award:

  • Must have made significant contributions to the Library Staff Division.
  • Must have been employed in a library staff position in a Georgia library for at least three years.
  • Must be a current GLA Member.