Call for Nominations: Jay Ladd Distinguished Service and Kathryn Venditti Mentoring Awards

The ALAO Awards Committee is now accepting nominations for the 2025 Jay Ladd Distinguished Service Award and the Kathryn Venditti Mentoring Awards.

The Jay Ladd Distinguished Service Award recognizes an individual who has:

1.  Been an Academic Library Association of Ohio member for at least 5 years

2.  Promoted academic libraries and librarianship on their own campus and within the state 

3.  Provided sustained leadership in the promotion of Academic Library Association of Ohio, e.g., committee service, interest group chair, position on the Executive Board

Additional information about the Jay Ladd Distinguished Service Award is available here. Please submit nominations for the Jay Ladd Distinguished Service Award through the 2025 Jay Ladd Award Online Nomination Form.

The Kathryn Venditti Mentoring Award recognizes an individual who has:

1.  Demonstrated excellence as a mentor to a librarian, library worker, or library science student

2.  A sustained record of effective mentorship, as demonstrated by activities that may include but not be limited to advising, developing, coaching, sponsoring, advocating, guiding, and/or supporting librarians, library workers, or library students

Additional information about the Kathryn Venditti Mentoring Award is available here.

Please submit nominations for the Kathryn Venditti Mentoring Award through the 2025 Kathryn Venditti Award Online Nomination Form. 

NOTE: You may nominate more than one person for each award! Your reasons for nominating your candidate(s) will be especially valuable to the Awards Committee so please be as detailed as possible.

Please submit your nominations by Friday, October 10, 2025.

Awards are given out at the ALAO Annual Conference. 

Get Involved! ALAO Has Open Positions!

PR Coordinator

We are looking to fill the position of PR Coordinator. This position does social media, creates marketing content and supports our many events.

Web Manager

We are looking to add another web manager to our existing team of two. You do not have to have any specific website experience for this position.

Both of these positions are positions on our executive board. If you are interested or would like more information please contact Sara Klink, ALAP Past President at pastpresident@alaoweb.org

Thank you!

ALAO has connected with other state organizations to create a statement of support for the Institute of Museum and Library Services.

Protect Federal Support for Ohio’s Libraries, Museums, and Communities 

American libraries and museums are trusted institutions that are essential to fostering literacy, supporting education, preserving culture, and strengthening communities. The Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS) is a federal agency dedicated solely to supporting all types of libraries and museums through grantmaking, research, and policy development. Through IMLS, Ohio receives vital funding for library services across the state, benefiting citizens in all 88 counties. IMLS also offers critical grant funds to museums across Ohio, providing support to programs and initiatives that communities rely on.

Eliminating federal funding streams that empower Ohio’s libraries to serve millions of residents every year would seriously harm Ohio’s library infrastructure, curtail essential programs, and diminish opportunities for education, innovation, and economic growth. 

In Ohio, $5.4 million in federal funding from the IMLS “Grants to States” program awarded to the the State Library funding supports:

• The State Library of Ohio, including $5.4 million annually in “Grants to States” funds.
• The Talking Book Program, serving Ohio’s blind and print-disabled veterans and residents.
• The Ohio Digital Library, offering free eBooks, audiobooks, and media to all Ohioans.
• Libraries Connect Ohio, providing equitable online access to high-quality educational and research resources.
• Summer Reading Programs, which served nearly 400,000 children and families in 2024 alone.
• Serving Every Ohioan (SEO) Library Center, a consortium supporting 103 largely rural library systems.
• Digitization efforts through the Ohio Digital Network, preserving and providing public access to Ohio’s historical and cultural collections.
• Grant for libraries for initiatives such as Celebrating Ohio Book Awards, Conservation and Preservation, Guiding Ohio Online, Summer Library Programs, Literacy, and Outreach and Engagement. 

Beyond libraries, IMLS also supports Ohio’s museums, historical societies, and archives, providing approximately $1.77 million annually in grants that help preserve Ohio’s rich cultural heritage.

Through IMLS funding, Ohio’s libraries and museums also:

• Foster early literacy and grade-level reading success.
• Provide access to high-speed internet, critical for education and employment.
• Support telehealth spaces for veterans and underserved populations.
• Offer STEM programs and workforce development training.
• Help entrepreneurs and small businesses thrive.
• Serve as community anchors in times of crisis and recovery.
• Provide essential educational support and curriculum-based student programs. Without IMLS support, Ohio would lose vital services that promote lifelong learning, strengthen communities, and fuel local economies particularly in rural and underserved areas.

Libraries, museums, and archives translate just 0.003% of the federal budget into more than 1.2 billion patron visits annually. These institutions offer an extraordinary return on investment, ensuring equitable access to information, education, and culture for all Americans.

The potential loss of IMLS funding would harm the aspirations and everyday needs of millions and rural communities would feel the impact most acutely.

We urge Ohio’s elected leaders at every level to stand up for museums, libraries, and the communities they serve. We call on Congress to fully fund IMLS and preserve the federal commitment to education, access, and opportunity.

We encourage all Ohioans who value reading, learning, history, and community to reach out to their elected officials and speak up for Ohio’s libraries, museums, and archives. Attend library board meetings, engage with your local museums, contact lawmakers, and Show Up for Our Libraries and Museums because the future of our communities depends on it.

Collectively, we, the undersigned, stand together to protect Ohio’s libraries, museums, and archives.