About the award:
This award recognizes an outstanding member library, cultural heritage organization, program, service, or staff member.
Eligibility:
Reminder: The nominee can be a Governing, HRVH, or affiliate member of Southeastern. Organizations that are members of members are eligible, i.e., libraries that are affiliated with the public and school library systems. Confirm your membership at https://www.senylrc.org/membership/member-directory/
The award:
The recipient(s) will receive a commemorative award, and the recipient’s name will be engraved on a permanent award displayed at Southeastern headquarters. The award is presented at the annual meeting.
Criteria:
Individuals, organizations, or programs must achieve excellence in one or more of the following:
- Leadership in creating a new or enhanced service model that other libraries or cultural organizations can emulate.
- Improvements in physical facilities result in better services.
- Creation of an innovative program or collection that enhances the lives of the organization’s constituents.
- The development of a program that touches the lives of individuals who are otherwise underserved by their communities.
- Provision of a service to the community that is not available from any other library, archive, cultural heritage organization or library system, or that is outside the organization’s primary mission or the individual’s job description and benefited the community in which the organization resides.
The Nomination Process:
A candidate, organization, or program may be nominated by a co-worker, an individual from the library profession who resides in the region, or by a member of the community served by the organization. Self-nominations are accepted.
- Nomination forms are available online.
- Self-nominations are accepted and encouraged.
- Nominations will be reviewed by the Southeastern Award Recognition Committee, consisting of the Southeastern Executive Director, two members from the Board of Trustees representing different library types, and one Southeastern staff member.
- The award will be presented at the Council’s Annual Meeting in June.
The Timeframe:
- Nominations were accepted until April 25, 2025
- The Southeastern Award Recognition Committee will announce the award at the annual meeting.
Nomination form:
Submit the nomination via email. Nominations should include:
- A completed nomination form
- a 1-5 page description of the project, library, or individual achievement
- Letters of support
- A portfolio as applicable
About Twila Snead:
The award is named in memory of Twila Snead, the Medical Library Manager at St. Luke’s Cornwall Hospital in Newburgh, NY, for twenty years. Twila was recognized for her exemplary work as a committed, innovative, solo librarian and leader who served her institution with distinction and generously shared her passion, knowledge, and technological skills with colleagues and the wider library community. She was constantly learning, advocating for resources and services, developing her technological expertise, and thinking creatively about advocacy and outreach. Her demonstrated professional commitment, hard work, and dedication to continuous improvement established the framework that inspired this award for excellence in librarianship.
History of the Award
2024 Award Recipient
Ginny Neidermier, Josephine-Louise Public Library
2023 Award Recipients
Lisa Gomez, United States Military Academy
Putnam County Historian’s Office
2021 Award Recipient
Ramapo Catskill Library System, Coalition for Library Workers of Color
2020 Award Recipient
Valerie Mittenberg, SUNY New Paltz
2019 Award Recipient
Cross County Reading Challenge, Sullivan BOCES School Library System
2018 Award Recipient
adLIB, Vassar College Libraries
2017 Award Recipient
Amy Hillick, SUNY Orange
2016 Award Recipient
Judy Capurso, SUNY Ulster
2015 Award Recipient
Rhonda L. Altonen, MLS, MS
2014 Award Recipients:
FRANKLIN – Access to the FDR Library’s Digital Collections
Honorable Mention: Haviland-Heidgerd Historical Collection at Elting Memorial Library in New Paltz, NY