On behalf of New Members Round Table, the NMRT Awards Committee is pleased to announce the following winners of the Shirley Olofson Memorial Award and Professional Development Grant Award. These awards offer funds to support attendance at this year’s ALA Annual Conference in Philadelphia, PA.
Shirley Olofson Memorial Award: Sarah Padgett, Materials Management Librarian II, Virginia Beach, Virginia
Sarah is currently a librarian at Virginia Beach Public Library, where she is primarily a cataloger and selector of specialty format materials such as graphic novels, video games, and Library of Things items for all ages. Prior to receiving her MLIS, she worked as a bookseller at a local bookshop. Her special interests include all things cataloging, archives and special collections, and reading for pleasure.
Professional Development Grant Award: Nikole English, Library Assistant at Charles W. Gibson Public Library, Buckhannon, West Virginia
Nikole English lives in Tallmansville, West Virginia with her husband Mark and two sons, Dominik and Ethan. In September 2020, Nikole decided she needed a career change after 16 years of nursing and took a part time position as a Library Aide at the city library. Charles W. Gibson Public Library in Buckhannon, WV serves a population of roughly 5,000 and employs two full-time and two part-time library staff, along with one part-time housekeeper. While her nursing career had helped her fulfill her desire of helping others, she has truly found her calling in the public library system: “ What I have sacrificed in salary has been compensated with my daily happiness and overall well-being.” Over nearly 5 years she has continued to expand her library knowledge and now serves as the full-time Library Assistant.