Sarah Rogers, Janet Clapp, Amy Olsen, Timmy Bullock Receive VLA 2025 Awards

Sarah Rogers, Janet Clapp, Amy Olsen, and Timmy Bullock were honored during the Vermont Library Association’s annual conference in May 2025, with annual awards presented by the Scholarship and Awards Committee. The paragraphs under their names are taken from the nomination submissions.

Birdie Award – Sarah Rogers
This past year Sarah Rogers, technical services librarian at Kellogg-Hubbard Library, negotiated being a new mom to a premature baby with her full-time job. As Kellogg-Hubbard’s technical services librarian, Sarah had significant responsibility for moving the library onto a new cataloging system, all while dealing with the changes from ongoing flood recovery.  Her meticulous attention to detail and unwavering commitment culminated in the cataloging of an extraordinary volume of materials, a testament to her profound expertise and dedication to accessibility for Kellogg-Hubbard’s patrons. Beyond her professional achievements, Sarah’s insightful nature and sharp intellect enrich our workplace, fostering a stimulating and engaging environment. Her value extends beyond the library, as she embraces her roles as a devoted mother and wife. We celebrate Sarah’s well-deserved honor and the significant contributions she makes to both the Kellogg-Hubbard Library and the wider world.

The Birdie Award was created in March 2014 as a memorial to University of Vermont librarian Birdie MacLennan to honor outstanding librarians who, like her, provide outstanding service in the field of technical services.

Green Mountain Award – Janet Clapp
Janet Clapp has spent a decade volunteering for some of the most time-intensive tasks in the Catamount Library Network, including serving on the board. She has led the efforts to clean up catalogs for all member libraries, and successfully onboards tiny libraries with idiosyncratic catalogs.  She has done this all while contributing to the Vermont Library Associaiton by compiling, writing, and publishing its quarterly newsletter.  Even with all this, she manages the entire adult collection at Rutland Free Library, while rotating through the Help Desk for 10+ hours a week and putting up with Director Randal Smathers. As Randal puts it, “Janet is the consummate professional who has put in thousands of hours of volunteer time to help the cause of libraries across the state, starting on day one and continuing to this day.”  For her dedication to libraries throughout Vermont, we honor Janet Clapp.

The Green Mountain Award is given as the opportunity arises to individuals or organizations for distinguished service, support, or unusual contributions to a Vermont library or libraries.

Sarah C. Hagar Award – Amy Olsen
Amy Olsen is the director of the small, rural Lanpher Memorial Library in Hyde Park, but the reach of her work is anything but small. “Under her thoughtful leadership, the library has become a cornerstone of her town, a place where people of all ages feel welcome, supported, and inspired,”  one of her nominators wrote. Amy has a gift for creating programming that uncannily reflects the needs and interests of the community.  She has created early literacy programs and supported emotional and mental health through a Community Wish Tree and a Wind Phone.  Amy is a fierce advocate for libraries and often speaks up about funding and support for libraries, in general, and for her colleagues who are addressing specific issues. She is a cheerleader for libraries and librarians, as well.  Amy can be counted on to celebrate her peers’ achievements and to spread the word about them. But she is also a dynamic force within her community, as she partners with many organizations to provide literacy, entertainment, and wellness services throughout the town. The consensus of those who recommended her for this award is that as libraries face an unprecedented time of uncertainty, Amy Olsen is exactly the type of person to show us, by example, how to approach our challenges from a place of joy, love, and compassion.

The Sarah C. Hagar Award, named for the first president of the Vermont Library Association and a librarian at the Fletcher Free Library for 23 years until her death in 1908, is awarded each year for outstanding service in or significant contribution to the field of librarianship in Vermont.

Trustee of the Year – Timmy Bullock
“If there is anything I’ve learned about Timmy over the years we’ve worked together it is that she approaches projects with her big heart and brilliant mind,” said John G. McCullough Library director Jennie Rozicki in her nomination letter. Timmy understood that McCullough Library’s previous funding levels were inadequate, ignoring both the basic needs of library staff and of the community. Thanks to Timmy’s efforts, the library now guarantees a sustainable wage to library professionals who are essential to the success of any library.  Not only did she connect the library with a donor who could make a difference, she took the lead on an associated fundraising challenge. Her candor, persistent curiosity, willingness to develop new skills, meticulous attention to detail, and steadfast commitment to the delicate work of fundraising have been a tremendous benefit to this library and the people it serves. Read more about Timmy Bullock’s award in the Bennington Banner article McCullough Library trustee honored by Vermont Library Association.

The Trustee of the Year Award recognizes outstanding achievement by a trustee on behalf of their library, either during the previous year or during their years of service.

This Vermont Library Association (VLA) Scholarship and Awards Committee is charged with defining, overseeing, and funding scholarship opportunities for library professional development and overseeing VLA’s five awards. For more information, visit their webpage.

 

Nominations Due May 1 for 2025 Vermont Library Association Awards

Nominations are now open for four Vermont Library Association awards. They are:

The Birdie Award, created in March 2014 as a memorial to University of Vermont librarian Birdie MacLennan to honor outstanding librarians like her. This award is given to a Vermont librarian or recently retired librarian who has provided outstanding service in the field of technical services.

The Green Mountain Award, given as the opportunity arises to individuals or organizations for distinguished service, support, or unusual contributions to a Vermont library or libraries.

The Sarah C. Hagar Award, named for the first president of the Vermont Library Association and a librarian at the Fletcher Free Library for 23 years until her death in 1908, is awarded each year for outstanding service in or significant contribution to the field of librarianship in Vermont. Nominees for the Sarah C. Hagar award must be working in a Vermont library and be a member of VLA. Examples of “outstanding service” include but are not limited to:

  • providing outstanding service in one’s field of expertise such as children’s services, reference, technical services, or administration.
  • providing professional library leadership in areas such as legislation, intellectual freedom, literacy, or writing.
  • encouraging community support for and involvement with the library at the local or state level.

The Trustee of the Year Award recognizes outstanding achievement by a trustee on behalf of their library, either during the previous year or during their years of service. Nominations may be submitted by any library trustee, library board, librarian, friends group member, or VLA member. Examples include but are not limited to:

  • seeking legislative action for programs that would benefit libraries throughout the state or region.
  • leadership to increase the quality of library service.
  • creating model programs to overcome a major local library problem.
  • promoting public awareness and building support for the library.
  • developing adequate physical facilities for a library.

Who inspires you? Acknowledge this individual by nominating them for a Vermont Library Association Award, using the following forms. Nominations are due by Thursday, May 1, 2025.

Honoring Retirees
Are you retiring or know a librarian who is? If that librarian is also a VLA member we want to honor them at the annual Vermont Library Conference. Email pcartier@vermontlaw.edu with their name, library, and position.

For more information, visit the Vermont Library Association Scholarship and Awards Committee webpage, or email Committee Chairperson Pamela Cartier at pcartier@vermontlaw.edu.

April 6, 2025 (sl)

 

2024 VLA Award Nominations Due May 1

It is time to recognize those special library colleagues, mentors, trustees, and supporters who inspire us and who help create the community that we value. Nominations are open for the Vermont Library Association’s five annual awards.

The Birdie Award was created in March 2014 as a memorial to University of Vermont librarian Birdie MacLennan to honor outstanding service in the field of technical services.

The Green Mountain Award is given as the opportunity arises to individuals or organizations for distinguished service, support, or unusual contributions to a Vermont library or libraries.

The Sarah C. Hagar Award acknowledges exceptional service in or significant contribution to the field of librarianship in Vermont. Nominees for the Sarah C. Hagar award must be working in a Vermont library (public, academic, school, or special) and be a member of VLA.

The Senator Patrick Leahy Library Advocate of the Year Award is given when deemed warranted by the VLA Government Relations Committee to an outstanding public advocate for libraries in local, state, or national government.

The Trustee of the Year Award recognizes outstanding achievement by a trustee on behalf of his or her library, either during the previous year or during his or her years of service. Nominations may be submitted by any library trustee, library board, librarian, member of a Friends group, or VLA member.

To nominate someone for an award, email the following to Pamela Cartier, Awards Committee Chair, pcartier@vermontlaw.edu

  • The nominee’s name;
  • The name of their library;
  • A letter or letters explaining why this person should receive the award;
  • Your name, library, telephone number, and e-mail address.

Nominations including a few letters that present a well-rounded picture of the candidate are preferred to a single letter, or many letters that all say similar things. If a nomination is made by more than one person, please designate one signatory as the contact person.

Nomination letters and supporting materials are due by May 1, 2024.  For more information about the awards, nomination procedures, and previous recipients visit the Scholarship and Awards Committee web page.

Winners will be announced at the annual Vermont Library Conference on Monday, May 20, at the Killington Grand Hotel and Resort Center.

Vermont Library Association 2023 Award Recipients

Six people received 2023 Vermont Library Association awards, presented for outstanding service to and support of the state’s libraries. The awards were presented during the annual Vermont Library Conference on April 3, 2023.

Senator Patrick Leahy was named Library Advocate of the Year. “VLA is greatly appreciative of all Senator Leahy has done for libraries in our state,” said Pamela Cartier, VLA Scholarships & Awards Committee Co-Chair and coordinator of the Community Legal Information Center (CLIC) at the Vermont Law School’s Julien and Virginia Cornell Library. “His unwavering support and advocacy of libraries will have impacts on Vermont communities for many years to come.”

John Tracy, former state director to Senator Patrick Leahy, accepting the Library Advocate of the Year award for the Senator.

John Tracy, former state director to Senator Patrick Leahy, accepting the Library Advocate of the Year award for the Senator from Scholarship and Awards Committee co-chair Mary Danko.

Read more

Nominations are due by March 1, 2023.

2023 VLA Award Nominations Open

There are so many excellent librarians and trustees in Vermont that it is hard to single out just one of each annually, but there are always ones who are extraordinary and deserved to be recognized statewide. Now is the time to nominate those deserving colleagues.  Winners will be recognized and awarded at the VLA Conference on Monday, April 3, 2023.

To place a person in nomination for any award, please send the nominee’s name, the name of their library, a letter or letters explaining why this person should receive the award, along with your name, library, telephone number, and e-mail address, Send this information to VLA Awards Committee co-chair mdanko[at]burlingtonvt.gov.

Nominations that include a few letters that present a well-rounded picture of the candidate are preferred to a single letter, or many letters that all say similar things. If a nomination is made by more than one person, please designate one signatory as the contact person.  Nominations are due by Wednesday, March 1, 2023.Read more