Twila Snead Commitment to Excellence Award

The Nomination Period is now open through April 22, 2023


About the award:
This award is designed to recognize an outstanding member library, cultural heritage organization, program, service, or staff member.

Eligibility:
This award is for Governing and HRVH members of Southeastern, including individuals at any staffing level, organizations, or programs created by member organizations.
  
The award:
The recipient(s) will receive a commemorative award, and the recipient's name will be engraved on a permanent award which is displayed at Southeastern headquarters. The award is presented at the annual meeting.
 
Nomination form:
Submit the nomination via email. Nominations should include:

  • A completed nomination form
  • a 2-5 page description of the project, library, or individual achievement
  • letters of support
  • A portfolio if applicable

Criteria:
Individuals, organizations or programs must achieve excellence in one or more of the following:

  • Leadership in the creation of a new or enhanced service model that can be emulated by other libraries or cultural organizations.
  • Improvements in physical facilities that 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 are accepted from non-members as long as the nominee is either a Governing or HRVH member of Southeastern.
  • 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.

 
Reminder: nominee must be either a Governing or HRVH member of Southeastern. (confirm membership at senylrc.org/member­_directory)
 
The Timeframe:

  • Nominations will be accepted until April 22, 2023
  • The Southeastern Award Recognition Committee will make the announcement of the award at the annual meeting.

Previous Award Recipients:
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

Nomination forms are availalbe below as a Word Doc or PDF: