Committee Members | Purpose and Objectives

The Awards and Honors Committee reviews nominations for the OLC annual awards program and recommends to the OLC Board of Directors recipients for the various awards and honors that recognize outstanding performance by library staff members, trustees and Friends group members.

 

Committee Members

Michelle Elliott, Chair (2024)
Cincinnati & Hamilton County Public Library
Work: 513-665-3358
michelle.elliott@chpl.org

Krista Lackey, Assistant Chair (2024)
Greene County Public Library
Work: 937-912-3662
klackey@gcpl.lib.oh.us

Brett Neff, Past Chair (2023)
Akron-Summit County Public Library
bneff@akronlibrary.org

Amy Abernathy (2023)
MidPointe Library System
Work: 513-705-8535
aabernathy@midpointelibrary.org

Cathleen Grossman (2024)
Rocky River Public Library
Work: 440-333-7610
c.grossman@rrpl.org

Kaitlyn Phillips (2025)
Mansfield/Richland County Public Library
Work: 419-521-3100
kphillips@mrcpl.org

Elizabeth Muether (2023)
Mercer County District Library
Work: 419-586-4442
elizabeth@mercerlibrary.org

Emily Skunda (2023)
Perry Public Library
Work: 440-259-3300
emily.skunda@perry.lib.oh.us

Raychelle Steele (2025)
Westerville Public Library
Work: 614-882-7277 2229
rsteele@westervillelibrary.org

Board Liaison: Mary Ellen Icaza
Staff Liaison: Jeanine D’Andrea

Purpose and Objectives

The principal charge of the Awards and Honors Committee is to recommend to the OLC Board of Directors recipients for the various established awards and solicit nominations and supporting materials from members of the library community.

Such solicitation may be accomplished through OLC publications, conference coverage, listservs, or by any other means the Committee deems both appropriate and applicable.

The Committee’s recommendations to the Board will include biographical information on the recipients as well as professional accomplishments, OLC sustained involvement, and other qualifying data related to the award criteria that made that particular person or group stand out as the best in its category. Award recommendations must be submitted to the OLC Board for formal approval at its July meeting.

Award recipients and nominators will be notified by the Committee and in writing by the OLC Executive Director, and if applicable, will also include correspondence to the Library Director and Board President.

Committee members will author/modify the Awards and Honors materials for presentation at the OLC Annual Convention and Expo, as well as oversee all publicity associated with the announcement of the awards.

Objectives:

Continue to:

• Review guidelines and update as needed.
• Review award categories and criteria; recommend revisions to the Board as appropriate.
• Review Awards and Honors process and make recommendations.
• Promote participation in the awards process in various and creative ways.

Annual Report (PDF)