Friday, June 1, 2012

MLA Honors Western Mass Library People


Hope Schneider, Library Assistant III, at the Greenfield Community College Library received the Massachusetts Library Association’s (MLA) 2012 “Outstanding Paralibrarian of the Year” award on Wednesday, May 9, 2012 at the MLA’s annual conference in Worcester.    A dedicated staff member for over 21 years, Hope’s professionalism, passion and enthusiasm for all things related to the library have made her an invaluable resource to the faculty, staff and students of Greenfield Community College.    Hope is also a board member of the Friends of the Greenfield Public Library where she has assisted with the Poet’s Seat Poetry Contest and the GPL’s Pub Quiz.  Congratulations Hope!  Also recognized was Joan Sutherland, a Senior Clerk at the Forest Park and East Forest Park Branch Libraries in Springfield. 
The Jones Library’s Bonnie Isman was inducted on May 10 into the MLA Librarians’ Hall of Fame for her career of service to The Jones, for her dedication to MLA as President and Officer, her work with C/WMARS, Simmons, and for her international service as well.  Bonnie is currently Membership Chair and Assistant Treasurer for the Western MA Library Advocates so we all benefit from her experience and judgment.  We’re so proud of you, Bonnie.  Congratulations.  The other Hall of Fame inductees were Maureen Killoran (who most of you know from her years of service for the Massachusetts Board of Library Commissioners), Jackie Rafferty (Director of the Paul Pratt Memorial Library – Cohasset for, among many other things, her activity as Co-Chair of the MLA Legislative Committee), and Leane Ellis (Reference Librarian and Reader’s Advisor – Beebe Memorial Library, Wakefield, for her career as a reader’s advisor and trainer.)
Congratulations to these outstanding members of our library community!