TLA awards -- except for the Benefactor Awards -- were presented April 26 at General Session I of the TLA Annual Conference in Houston. The Benefactor Awards were presented at the LiFTA Luncheon that same day. For a list of unit awards, grants, and stipends announced at conference, see the June 2006 issue of TLACast.

Lifetime Achievement Award: Jerilynn Williams and Herman Totten

Jerilynn Williams (PHOTO BY DEAN WASHINGTON)	Herman Totten (right) with Chris Salerno who made the presentation.

Two awards were given this year in recognition of  distinguished service to Texas librarianship  over a number of years. The award also acknowledges creative leadership and service to TLA.

JERILYNN WILLIAMS, Montgomery County Memorial Library System director, began her career in 1964 as a school librarian, developing innovative library programs and designing library facilities. After twenty years she moved into public libraries. In 1989 she was hired to lead the Houston Area Library System where she earned a reputation for being innovative, enterprising, businesslike - but also warm and genuine. Today she manages a multi-site, county-wide system.

Her refusal to compromise her principles and stalwartly defend intellectual freedom has earned her both the SIRS/TLA Intellectual freedom Award and the prestigious PEN/Newman's Own First Amendment Award. Within TLA, PLA, TexShare, and like entities, her volunteerism is legendary with an impressive list of chairmanships and professional contributions.

HERMAN TOTTEN, Dean of UNT’s School of Library and Information Sciences and a TLA past president,  has touched the lives and careers of students across the country and around the world in a career spanning 44-years. He  has made significant contributions to librarianship while serving in school libraries and universities on all three coasts and in the heartland. He has more than 100 publications to his credit and his honors include the Association of Library and Information Science Education Award for Teaching Excellence,  ALA’s Black Caucus Award for Outstanding Contributions to the Field, appointment to the National Commission on Libraries & Information Sciences, and ALA's Melvil Dewey Medal.

Librarian of the Year: Beth Wheeler Fox

The 2005 Texas Librarian of the Year Award was presented to Beth Wheeler Fox, director of Travis County's Westbank Community Library.  This annual award is given to a Texas Library Association (TLA) member to recognize distinguished achievement by sustained or singular activity, to mark outstanding service in one or more areas of the library profession, and to identify contributions to the profession and to the improvement of library services.

Cited as an expert communicator, fundraiser, and motivator, Fox has previously been honored by TLA as the Small Community Librarian of the Year, has twice been given ALA’s John Cotton Dana Award, and her public library has made the ALA’s “Best Public Libraries” list, also twice.

Beth Wheeler Fox with Diantha Dawkins
who made the presentation.

Outstanding Services to Libraries: Elizabeth Young

Elizabeth Young, founder and active lifetime member of Bay City’s Friends of the Library, received the 2006 Outstanding Service to Libraries Award. The award honors an outstanding lay advocate of libraries considering such activities as the advancement of library services, the promotion and development of sound library practices, the successful interpretation of the library to the community, and demonstration of wisdom and judgment in a position of civic responsibility.

In addition to her career as a school librarian, Elizabeth Young has devoted her life to her public library, serving 55 years on its Board of Directors. Within TLA, Elizabeth Young has served as chair of TASL and of the Library Friends, Trustees, and Advocates Round Table.

Meller Lankford (left) made the
presentation to Elizabeth Young.

Wayne Williams Library Project of the Year:
Second Chance Books, Austin Public Library Youth Services

Previously known simply as the Library Project of the Year, The Wayne Williams Library Project of the Year has been renamed for a children’s bookseller whose memorial fund will grant $500 to this award’s winner each year. The 2006 recipient is Austin Public Library’s Youth Services program “Second Chance Books: Bringing Literature to Incarcerated Kids.”

The program provides young people who are in trouble – who need a second chance – with the opportunity to read for pleasure while incarcerated and to learn about library resources. At the same time, good books that might be sitting in storage would also be given a second chance. Last October Oprah Winfrey cited this program as a model.

Brenda Branch (far left), director of libraries, and Jeanette Larson (far right), former youth services manager, flank APL youth services staff Patti Cook, Blair Parsons, and Devo
Carpenter (current manager).

Benefactor Awards were presented to George P. Mitchell (GPM, Inc.) and the South Montgomery County Friends of the Library; to the Kronkosky Charitable Foundation (San Antonio); and to Milton Lee of CPS Energy (San Antonio).

Accepting a Benefactor Award were Susan Dupont, president of the Friends of the South Montgomery County Library; and Jerilyn Williams, library system director, who accepted on behalf of George Mitchell.	The award for the Kronkosky Foundation was accepted by Molly Dupnick, their Chief Financial Officer.	Accepting for Milton Lee/CPS Energy: Ken Kurburski and Alicia Falcon