On October 24th at this year’s South Carolina Library Association conference themed, “Going Green in Greenville,” eleven individuals were recognized for their support of libraries and the association.
Columbia, SC – On October 24th at this year’s South Carolina Library Association 
conference themed, “Going Green in Greenville,” eleven individuals were recognized for their support of libraries and the association. Receiving the Outstanding Paraprofessional Award was Faith R. Keller, Library Specialist at the South Carolina State Library in Columbia. The outstanding paraprofessional award is presented annually to a member of the association who works at a library in a support staff position and has demonstrated outstanding contributions to the association and profession. Ms. Keller is currently working on her Master’s degree in Library and Information Science at USC and as a member of the association she is chair of the Paraprofessional Roundtable, a member of the Scholarship for Diversity in Librarianship Committee, and is active with the Roundtable for African American Concerns.
The Friend of Libraries Award recognizes outstanding service to a library or libraries. The Drs. Bruce and Lee Foundation of Florence was the recipient for their work to further the expansion of public library services in Florence County. According to K.G. Rusty Smith, Jr, Chair of the Florence County Council, “The Foundation is to be commended for its many endeavors and contributions to the Florence County Library System. The Council’s appreciation and acknowledgement of the Foundation’s commitment and generosity to our community is reflected in the name of the County’s main library.”
Dr. Julia G. Mims, also of Florence, who currently serves as the chair of the Florence County Library System’s Board of Trustees, received the Margie Herron Outstanding Library Trustee Award from the South Carolina Association of Public Library Administrators. Dr. Mims was appointed to the Board of Trustees in 1991 and has served as chairperson from February 2000 until present. During the past eight years Dr. Mims has guided the Florence County Library System through an unprecedented fundraising and building program. Under her leadership Florence County had its first new library construction in seventy-six years.
The South Carolina Library Association’s Scholarship for Diversity Committee awarded three USC School of Library and Information Science students, Paula Alvarez, Joi Gilliam, and K’Lani Green, $1000 scholarships. Ms. Alvarez and Ms. Green are both Master’s degree candidates and Ms. Gilliam is enrolled in the Specialist in Library and Information Science degree program. The committee’s mission is “to ensure that an annual scholarship is awarded in the name of the South Carolina Library Association to a library school student or students of an under-represented population.”
As part of the American Library Association’s Emerging Leader’s program, Amanda Brewer of the Beaufort County Public Library (sponsored by the Public Library Association) and Morgan Montgomery of Claflin University Library (sponsored by the South Carolina Library Association) were awarded $1000 each to help fund attendance at the ALA Midwinter Conference in Denver and the ALA Annual Conference in Chicago. The Emerging Leaders program enables newer librarians from across the country to participate in problem-solving work groups; network with peers; gain an inside look into ALA structure, and have an opportunity to serve the profession in a leadership capacity. It puts them on the fast track to ALA and professional leadership.
Receiving an Honorary Lifetime Membership was Mary Smalls, recently retired director of the Miller F. Whittaker Library at South Carolina State University. Michelle Hannon of the Greenville County Public Library was recognized for her award-winning redesign of the South Carolina Library Association’s logo. David Warren, who will be retiring in April after 30 years of service as Executive Director of the Richland County Public Library was recognized for his years of service to the association and the South Carolina public library community and will be honored at next year’s conference with an SCLA Honorary Lifetime Membership.
For more information about the South Carolina Library Association, visit www.scla.org.
conference themed, “Going Green in Greenville,” eleven individuals were recognized for their support of libraries and the association. Receiving the Outstanding Paraprofessional Award was Faith R. Keller, Library Specialist at the South Carolina State Library in Columbia. The outstanding paraprofessional award is presented annually to a member of the association who works at a library in a support staff position and has demonstrated outstanding contributions to the association and profession. Ms. Keller is currently working on her Master’s degree in Library and Information Science at USC and as a member of the association she is chair of the Paraprofessional Roundtable, a member of the Scholarship for Diversity in Librarianship Committee, and is active with the Roundtable for African American Concerns.The Friend of Libraries Award recognizes outstanding service to a library or libraries. The Drs. Bruce and Lee Foundation of Florence was the recipient for their work to further the expansion of public library services in Florence County. According to K.G. Rusty Smith, Jr, Chair of the Florence County Council, “The Foundation is to be commended for its many endeavors and contributions to the Florence County Library System. The Council’s appreciation and acknowledgement of the Foundation’s commitment and generosity to our community is reflected in the name of the County’s main library.”
Dr. Julia G. Mims, also of Florence, who currently serves as the chair of the Florence County Library System’s Board of Trustees, received the Margie Herron Outstanding Library Trustee Award from the South Carolina Association of Public Library Administrators. Dr. Mims was appointed to the Board of Trustees in 1991 and has served as chairperson from February 2000 until present. During the past eight years Dr. Mims has guided the Florence County Library System through an unprecedented fundraising and building program. Under her leadership Florence County had its first new library construction in seventy-six years.
The South Carolina Library Association’s Scholarship for Diversity Committee awarded three USC School of Library and Information Science students, Paula Alvarez, Joi Gilliam, and K’Lani Green, $1000 scholarships. Ms. Alvarez and Ms. Green are both Master’s degree candidates and Ms. Gilliam is enrolled in the Specialist in Library and Information Science degree program. The committee’s mission is “to ensure that an annual scholarship is awarded in the name of the South Carolina Library Association to a library school student or students of an under-represented population.”
As part of the American Library Association’s Emerging Leader’s program, Amanda Brewer of the Beaufort County Public Library (sponsored by the Public Library Association) and Morgan Montgomery of Claflin University Library (sponsored by the South Carolina Library Association) were awarded $1000 each to help fund attendance at the ALA Midwinter Conference in Denver and the ALA Annual Conference in Chicago. The Emerging Leaders program enables newer librarians from across the country to participate in problem-solving work groups; network with peers; gain an inside look into ALA structure, and have an opportunity to serve the profession in a leadership capacity. It puts them on the fast track to ALA and professional leadership.
Receiving an Honorary Lifetime Membership was Mary Smalls, recently retired director of the Miller F. Whittaker Library at South Carolina State University. Michelle Hannon of the Greenville County Public Library was recognized for her award-winning redesign of the South Carolina Library Association’s logo. David Warren, who will be retiring in April after 30 years of service as Executive Director of the Richland County Public Library was recognized for his years of service to the association and the South Carolina public library community and will be honored at next year’s conference with an SCLA Honorary Lifetime Membership.
For more information about the South Carolina Library Association, visit www.scla.org.
