| Support Libraries | Georgia Public Library Awards | Nominations
Nominations will be accepted from Oct. 16 -Nov. 17, 2023.
Georgia Public Library Employee of the Year
The Georgia Public Library Employee of the Year Award recognizes a staff member who provides excellent service to make libraries and communities better. These are the people who might have helped your child gain a love for reading, showed you where to find study resources, or made you feel welcome in a new community. Please help us honor library staff and libraries for their great work. Please take a few moments to nominate your favorite library employee – the more details you can share about how they have impacted your life, the stronger your application will be.
Georgia Public Library of the Year
Georgia Public Library of the Year is presented to an individual facility or library system whose staff best exemplifies the qualities needed to positively impact the lives of residents in the communities it serves. Nominations for library systems which include multiple locations must demonstrate the integration of each facility to the overall impact of the system as a whole.
Georgia Public Library Director of the Year
Georgia Public Library Director of the Year is presented to a professionally-licensed, full-time practicing public library director whose innovative and creative talents are instrumental in the delivery of outstanding library service to their library and the communities it serves, as well as dedication and commitment to the state and profession as a whole. The winner must be employed by a public library for at least 9 months of 2022.
Georgia Public Library Champion of the Year
Georgia Public Library Champion of the Year is an outstanding advocate whose support significantly raised the profile of libraries and improved services during the award year. Honorees may include, but are not limited to, elected officials, authors, library board members, members of Friends of Georgia Libraries, or members of local Friends groups. This person must not be employed in any capacity by a library during 2022.
Georgia Public Library Lifetime Achievement award
Georgia Public Library Lifetime Achievement award may be given to a retired Georgia library employee for extraordinary service to Georgia public libraries throughout their career. Special emphasis is placed on the long-lasting impact of their work: nominees must be retired from full-time work for three years before being nominated. Given these special requirements, this award may not be presented each year.
Nomination tips
Excellent nomination packets for Georgia Public Library Awards clearly communicate the broad impact the nominee has made on their community and include:
- Specific details about how nominees have used their talents in the delivery of outstanding library service or advocacy, and affirmation that they meet the given award criteria;
- Concise quotes that succinctly describe their impact, accomplishments, dedication, and commitment;
- Letters of support from a variety of stakeholder groups, such as elected officials, leaders in partner organizations, library board members, staff, Friends, and patrons.
- Excellent photos that demonstrate the nominee’s work or engagement;
- Where appropriate, a brief narrative biography of the nominee can be helpful for establishing context and credibility.
Understanding that nominations are open to the public as well as to library staff and supporters, nominators should make every effort to submit thoughtful, complete, and compelling nominations, including but not limited to:
- Clear, well-formed sentences;
- Excellent grammar and correct spelling, and
- Use of supporting examples for statements of achievement.
No preference is given to whether packets are received as a single nomination with multiple attachments, or as multiple separate nominations.
Public libraries work to improve the lives of all Georgians.
The Georgia Public Library Awards are about impact. We want to lift up people and places that have made a difference by helping others.
