Professional Awards Committee Information and Applications

2024-2025 Committee Members: Jill Tyner, Charlene Zehner, Jill Williams, Jenny Cox, Tenley Middleton, Lessie Bernshouse, Jennifer Thrift, Katherine Freleigh, Loni Lewis

Chair:  Jill Tyner

Co-Chair:  Loni Lewis

Professional Awards:

Is your school library an integral part of your school? If so we would like to honor those who have helped make it happen! The SCASL Awards Program includes these awards and honors:

Outstanding School Library Program of the Year - honors an exemplary program demonstrating strength in the areas of Foundations, Building the Learning Environment, Teaching and Learning, Building Collaborative Partnerships, Advocacy and Outreach, and Leadership.  

School Librarian of the Year – The School Librarian of the Year awards program honors one full-time librarian from each of the four regions (Lowcountry, Midlands, PeeDee, and Upstate) and one state winner who will serve as the SCASL School Librarian of the Year (SLOY). The four regional winners are recognized as finalists for the state award.

Distinguished Service Award – recognizes an individual or an organization for contributions to SCASL and school library programs throughout the state of South Carolina. 

Administrator of the Year – recognizes and thanks an exemplary administrator. 

Nancy Jane Day Scholarship – provides a SCASL member with reimbursement for the cost of one successfully completed college course taken to improve job performance or complete a graduate degree in library science. 

Library Paraprofessional of the Year – The Paraprofessional Award recognizes the exemplary performance of a paraprofessional who directly supports the school library profession either at the building or district level.

SCASL Collegiate Scholarship – provides a scholarship to a graduating school library volunteer who has made an outstanding contribution to South Carolina school librarianship, school library services, and/or SCASL. 

New Professional Award - recognizes a certified school librarian who has made an outstanding contribution to school libraries in South Carolina during the early years of their career (2nd-4th years).

BIPOC Scholarship Award - awarded to a library science student or current librarian who identifies as a member of the Black, Indigenous, or People of Color (BIPOC) community. Funds can be used to help pay for a graduate course or for professional development opportunities.

Composition: The Awards Committee is composed of a committee chair and members chosen by the chair.

Chairperson: The Awards Committee Chair is the School Librarian from one year previous to the calendar year.

Duties:

- Promotes public awareness of the profession and its services.

- Handles the following recognitions that are presented by SCASL: School Librarian of the Year, New Professional Award, SCASL Collegiate Scholarship Award, Distinguished Service Award, Administrator of the Year Award, Nancy Jane Day Scholarship, BIPOC Scholarship Award, Outstanding Library Program of the Year, and the Library Paraprofessional of the Year Award.

- Distributes relevant information concerning the awards of the membership and school administrators.