Award-Winning

John Sessions Memorial Award

In 1980, Director Arthur Meyers, who believed that the public library had a responsibility to address the problems of Muncie, gave a presentation entitled “Libraries and the Unemployed” detailing how the library could respond to the informational needs of the unemployed. This led to MPL’s participation in Project MUNCIE (Muncie UNemployment Community Information Network). The program disseminated information to those seeking employment, and the library sponsored a community forum called “Coping with Unemployment in Muncie.” For these efforts, the American Library Association awarded the first John Sessions Memorial Award to Muncie Public Library for service to labor in 1981. The “John Sessions Memorial Award recognizes a library or library system which has made significant effort to work with the labor community and by doing so has brought recognition to the history and contribution of the labor movement to the development of the United States” (RUSA, John Sessions Memorial Award).

The John Sessions Memorial Award presented to Muncie Public Library currently resides in the special collections at Carnegie Library (MPL Archives, June 1981).

Arthur Meyers, Lee Pennington, and Janet Sells stand in front of shelves filled with books and smile for the camera. Meyers is holding a book.

Former Director Arthur Myers, influential to MPL receiving this award, is pictured here (left) with author Lee Pennington (center) and librarian Janet Sells, former branch manager of Webb Hunt Library. Myers served as MPL’s Director from 1980 to 1986. (MPL Archives, 08-11-1984).

Indiana Library Federation Awards

From 2005-2009, Muncie Public Library won three awards from the Indiana Library Federation (ILF) in quick succession. In 2005 and 2007, MPL received the Outstanding Programming Award, which recognizes “a library system or branch of a library system that has successfully provided ongoing, innovative, and diverse programming designed to meet their community needs” (ILF Awards and Honors program, 2005). Some programs of note were the Delaware County Reads Project with Judge Greg Mathis, the Great Decisions discussion series, the library’s afterschool programs and services like the Loft, which was a space for teens to hangout and do their homework, and collaborations with local schools to keep kids reading or helping adults increase skills for employment opportunities. In 2009, this recognition by the ILF culminated in MPL receiving the Outstanding Library Award for “engaging trustees with library planning and development, providing excellent customer service, utilizing technology to help teach computing skills” while also “introducing customers to new technology and it’s applications…, and transforming lives and meeting community needs” (Press Release, 2009).

Cybermobile

In September 2000, the Cybermobile, the MPL's mobile computer lab, won a "State and Local 50" award from civic.com for its groundbreaking information technology. This award recognized the top fifty projects from across the state of Indiana that "best conveyed the potential of technology" (Star Press, 09-13-2000). By that point, the Cybermobile had offered over 200 computer and Internet classes to groups, businesses, and non-profits. To learn more about the Cybermobile, click here.

The Cybermobile, along with then Director Virginia Nilles and then Assistant Director John Drumm, hit the road and went to the ALA conference in Washington D.C. The image includes from left to right Dr. Frank Groom from Ball State University’s Center for Information and Communication Sciences, John Drumm, Virginia Nilles, then ALA president Barbara Ford, then Senator Richard Lugar, Garfield, unknown man, and then Indiana State Librarian Ray Ewick.

Two women and five men smile for the camera with Garfield the cat in front of the new Cybermobile, which used to be the MPL bookmobile.

Library of the Future Award

Three square pins sitting on khaki-colored paper read "ALA Award Winner." Pins also each have two curly lines on them.

ALA Award winner lapel pins (Photograph in MPL Archives, 2017)

Muncie Public Library constantly strives to stay ahead of current technological trends, and the ALA and Information Today Inc. recognized the library’s efforts by presenting the organization with the 2017 “Library of the Future” award for the innovative Digital Climbers program offered at Connection Corner. Created by former MPL employees Drew Shermeta, Rebecca Parker, and Digital Mentor Stuart Cotton, it started as a collection of makerspace projects and activities. It became a “comprehensive program that encourages students to work independently to master technology skills” while motivating “kids to learn using tools such as 3D printers and design applications, snap circuits, Adobe Photoshop, Garage Band, and the Osmo educational gaming system” (Star Press, 5-20-2017, p. 2D). Digital Climbers is still a program offered at MPL to children over eight years of age at our Connection Corner, Kennedy, and Maring-Hunt Library locations.

Our Award-Winning Staff

Former Library Director Patricia Schaefer won the Outstanding Librarian Award from the Indiana Library Federation in 1995. (MPL Archives, n.d.)

Evelyn Current, wearing her Magic of Maring-Hunt top hat, helps a customer at the check-out desk in Maring-Hunt Library.

Evelyn Current, then head of MPL's circulation department, won the Indiana Library Federation's Outstanding Support Staff award for 2002 (MPL Archives, 2002).

Rebecca Parker smiles and poses for the camera with a PopCon attendee. Other attendees look at the display behind them.

Rebecca Parker, former branch manager of Connection Corner, was recognized by M Magazine as an up-and-coming leader with the 20 Under 40 Award in 2017 due to her work with the Digital Climbers program. (MPL Archives, 2016)

Ginny Nilles poses with an award that has a bell on it.

Former Library Director Ginny Nilles won both the Trailblazer Award at the Muncie Black Expo and the James P. Carey Award for her work with the Martin Luther King Dream Team, an organization dedicated to creating unity and understanding in the community. She also received the Liberty Bell Award for bringing legal services to those in need in Muncie as well as the Indiana Outstanding Race Relations Award. Ginny is pictured here receiving the Liberty Bell Award (MPL Archives, 2008).

Akilah Nosakhere smiles and holds an award. She stands next to a small banner draped over a tall counter that reads, "Vivian Conley Awards." A bouquet of flowers sits on the top of the counter holding the banner in place.

Former Library Director Akilah Nosakhere won the Muncie-Delaware County Chamber of Commerce Longevity Award for MPL's 100+ years of dedicated service to the community in March 2018. In 2019, she won the Vivian Conley Award for her work with literacy and social justice at the 27th annual Women's Equality Day program at City Hall (pictured here, MPL Archives). In 2023, Forward Visions named Akilah Nosakhere as the 2023 recipient of the Robert L. Thompson Civic Leadership Award in recognition of her “generous commitment of time, support, and inspiration to our City of Muncie.”

Katie Lehman sits on a stool in the Youth Services area of Maring-Hunt Library in preparation for a video interview. Recording and light equipment are around her.

Former Ready Readers supervisor Katie Lehman won many awards for the Ready Readers one-on-one tutoring service for children living in Muncie grades K-5. Some examples of awards given were the 2022 Indiana Youth Institute Youth Worker of the Year and the National AfterSchool Association 2022 Next Generation of Afterschool Leaders. Katie is pictured here during an interview for the Indiana Youth Institute in October 2022 (MPL Archives).

From left to right, Richard Harris, Jessica Jenkins, Karen Vincent, Karen Good, Melissa Gentry, and Sara McKinley smile and pose for the camera with the Wheeling Pike painting hanging on the wall behind them.

Carnegie Library Manager and MPL Archivist Sara McKinley won a DAR Chapter History Award in 2022 for her work as one of the committee organizers for the Notable Women of Muncie and Delaware County Project. This group documents and tells the stories of women who have made significant contributions within the Muncie-Delaware County community. The award ceremony, pictured here (MPL Archives, 2022) was held at Carnegie Library.

Using the microphone standing in front of her, Jeanette Stafford reads from a book she is holding and showing to the audience. To the left next to her is a bulletin board with howling wolves on it. She is standing outside in a grassy area near a wooden privacy fence.

Jeanette Stafford, Youth Services Specialist at Kennedy Library, was nominated by a customer for the American Library Association’s "I Love My Librarian" award in January 2020. Although she ultimately did not win the award, Jeanette is definitely well-known in the community for her programs and advocacy for literacy among Muncie’s youth as well as their parents and grandparents too! In the above photograph, she is reading a story during Preschool Pals in Kennedy Library's green space (MPL Archives, 2021).

Sources

"Award at ALA." (Aug. 1981). MPLNow, vol. XI, no. 8. MPL Archives. Carnegie Library. Muncie Public Library.

Baer, Diane. "Under Meyers' Direction, Library Branches Out." (07-25-1985). Muncie Evening Press. Carnegie Library. Muncie Public Library.

"Cybermobile Honored for Technology Projects." (09-13-2000). Star Press. Carnegie Library. Muncie Public Library.

Farguheson, Ivy. "MPL Named State's Most Outstanding Library." (11-29-2009). Star Press. Carnegie Library. Muncie Public Library.

Fisher, Susan. "ALA/ITI Library of the Future Award Winner: Climbing the Digital Mountain at Muncie Public Library." EdTech (Jan./Feb. 2018): 33-36.

"Friends and Neighbors." (05-20-2017). Star Press. Carnegie Library. Muncie Public Library.

Haynes, Ashley. "Katie Lehman Named Indiana Youth Institute's 2022 D. Susan Wisely Youth Worker of the Year." (11-04-2022). Muncie Journal. https://www.munciejournal.com/2022/11/katie-lehman-named-indiana-youth-institutes-2022-d-susan-wisely-youth-worker-of-the-year/

MPL Archives. Carnegie Library. Muncie Public Library.

"Muncie Library Receives 2009 Outstanding Library Award." (10-05-2009). Star Press. Carnegie Library. Muncie Public Library.

"Muncie Library Wins Statewide Award." (03-14-2005). Star Press. Carnegie Library. Muncie Public Library.

"Patricia Schaefer: Muncie Public Library, 1959-1995." (1995). MPL Archives. Carnegie Library. Muncie Public Library.

"Ginny Nilles." (2016). Press Release. MPL Archives. Carnegie Library. Muncie Public Library.

"Muncie Public Library Chosen to Receive Statewide Library Award." (08-24-2007). Press Release. MPL Archives. Carnegie Library. Muncie Public Library.

"Six to be Honored on Women's Equality Day." (08-11-2019). Star Press. Carnegie Library. Muncie Public Library.

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