Nominations are now officially open for the 2022 School Librarian of the Year Award!
Presented by School Library Journal and sponsored by Scholastic, the award honors a K–12 library professional for outstanding achievement and the exemplary use of 21st-century tools and services to engage children and teens toward fostering multiple literacies.
This year, School Library Journal and Scholastic will be honoring one School Librarian of the Year Award winner and two finalists.
Tell a school librarian you know about this opportunity to share their story and get books and resources for their school, or if you are a supporter (i.e. administrator, peer, institution), nominate them yourself! (The nominee must be aware of the application and attendant responsibilities of participation.)
The deadline to submit is Wednesday, December 29, 2021.
To learn more about the School Librarian of the Year Award and the nomination process, visit www.slj.com/SLOTY.
The 2022 School Librarian of the Year Award winner will receive:
- A $2,500 cash award and a full year subscription to one Scholastic digital program (valued up to $3,500)
- A $500 Scholastic Power of Story collection for their library
- A feature profile in the April 2022 issue of School Library Journal
- An expensed trip to the American Library Association annual conference in Chicago, June 24—27
Two 2022 School Librarian of the Year Award finalists will each receive:
- A $250 Scholastic Power of Story collection
- A full-year subscription to one Scholastic digital program (valued up to $1,000)
Past school librarians who have received this prestigious honor include Tamiko Brown, Ali Schilpp, Cicely Lewis, and most recently, 2021 School Librarian of the Year Award winners Amanda Jones from Watson, Louisiana, and Diane Mokuau from Molokai, Hawaii.
To be considered, applicants must meet state requirements for school library media certification and be currently employed in a media specialist, teacher librarian, or equivalent position. They can be working in either a public or private school at a site level—supervisors or managers of library programs (including at a district or regional level) are not eligible.
Applicants will be judged on criteria such as exemplary use of services to fulfill the needs of students and the school community; creativity in programming and use of content; collaboration with teacher peers, staff, and administrators; effective integration of library services with curricula; demonstrated student engagement; exemplary use of technology tools; outreach to parents and families; and effective promotion of the library and what it offers.
Key dates to keep in mind:
- Nominations open: October 18, 2021
- Nominations close: December 29, 2021
- Winner announced: March 2022
- Winner profiled: April 2022
We look forward to celebrating the inspiring school librarians who go above and beyond to support their students and communities with the power of stories every day!
School Library Journal
