Illinois Library Association announces winners of 2020 awards and grants

The Illinois Library Association (ILA) announced the recipients of the 2020 ILA Awards and the Valerie J. Wilford Scholarship Grant for Library Education. Since its inception, the ILA Awards Program recognizes excellence in librarianship and library service in Illinois.

The Valerie J. Wilford Scholarship Grant for Library Education, is awarded in honor of Valerie Wilford (1939-2016), a teacher and mentor to hundreds of librarians. The grant is for the pursuit of education in librarianship.

This year's recipients are among the best and brightest within the Illinois library community and set a shining example of librarianship and library service.

A virtual awards ceremony honoring the award and grant recipients will be held on Oct. 22. For additional information, visit the ILA website at www.ila.org.

The 2020 ILA Award and Grant recipients are as follows:

Hugh C. Atkinson Memorial Award: Dixon Public Library, Milledgeville Public Library, Rock Falls Public Library District, and Sterling Public Library.

Crosman Memorial Award: Sara Benson (University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign).

Davis Cup Award: Katie Clausen (Gail Borden Public Library District, Elgin).

Illinois Academic Librarian of the Year: Molly Beestrum (Northwestern University Galter Health Sciences Library and Learning Center).

Intellectual Freedom Award: Rebecca Ginsburg (Education Justice Project).

Illinois Librarian of the Year: Roberta Koscielski (Peoria Public Library).

Deborah Dowley Preiser Marketing Award: Pamela Salomone (St. Charles Public Library).

Readers' Advisory Service Award: Cook Memorial Public Library District's Book Club Program.

Reference Services Award: Johnna Schultz (Effingham Public Library).

Alexander J. Skrzypek Award: Glenna Godinsky (Gail Borden Public Library District, Elgin).

TBS, Inc. Technical Services Award: Natalie Hall (Moraine Valley Community College Library).

Trustee of the Year Award: Dr. Ronald Rodgers (Wilmette Public Library).

Young Adult Librarian of the Year Award: Laurel Johnson (Skokie Public Library).

Valerie J. Wilford Scholarship Grant for Library Education: Jeffrey Merino (East Maine School District 63).

The Illinois Library Association is a not-for-profit educational and professional membership organization that represents nearly 3,000 Illinois public, academic, school, and special libraries as well as librarians, library staff, trustees, students, library vendors and the millions who depend on them. Founded in 1896, it is the third-largest state library association and a chapter of the American Library Association.