Jay Ladd Award

Eric Resnis, Past President

The Jay Ladd Distinguished Service Award recognizes an individual who has been an ALAO member for at least 5 years, and who has promoted academic libraries and librarianship not only on his or her own campus, but also within the state. The award also recognizes someone who has provided leadership in the promotion of ALAO through service such as committee membership, executive board office, or interest group office.

Congratulations to this year’s award winner: Carrie Girton, Public Services Librarian at Miami University – Hamilton. Dedicated, reliable, and caring are pertinent words to describe Carrie. Her service to ALAO is long-reaching, including many years on the Conference Planning Committee, an interest group co-chair and as an executive board officer.

Carrie is described as a great listener who has genuine interest in the success of her ALAO colleagues. When you think interest groups, her name is one of the first that pops into your head.  In her role as Interest Group Coordinator, she has played a major role in bringing new and relevant interest groups to ALAO, helping manage our existing cadre of interest groups, and ensuring that interest group coordinators have the resources and support they require. She is one of the reasons that IG are so important to ALAO.

Kathryn Venditti Award

The Kathryn L. Venditti Mentoring Award is given annually to an academic librarian who has demonstrated excellence as a mentor to a librarian, library worker, or library science student.

Congratulations to this year’s winner: Heidi Gauder, Coordinator of Research and Instruction at the University of Dayton.  Heidi is described by one of her nominees as “the type of mentor that every new librarian wishes they had.” She is deeply invested in helping her colleagues become better instructors, researchers, and scholars. Seeking tenure and promotion can be a daunting challenge for a new librarian, yet Heidi works diligently to demystify the process, providing guidance along the way, making connections with librarian colleagues, and providing a clear example of continual achievement and growth that occurs after promotion.

Another nominee notes “I’ve worked at various institutions and I genuinely have not met anyone else who so selflessly mentors others the way she does.” Indeed, many librarians at the University of Dayton have gained great knowledge and experience from her careful guidance.