Barbara Immroth Lands TLA's FirstLifetime Achievement Award

Print |

Reprint/License |

Subscription |

RSS |

By SLJ Staff -- School Library Journal, 04/16/2009

Barbara Immroth, a professor at the University of Texas School of Information and a former president of the Association of Library Services to Children, has received the first lifetime achievement award from the Texas Library Association (TLA).

Barbara Immroth wins TLA's first lifetime achievement award.

The award, handed out during TLA’s recent annual conference in Houston, is given to a longstanding TLA member who has an exemplary career in librarianship, is active in professional organizations, and has creative leadership and service to the profession, says TLA.

Immroth began her career as a library assistant while completing a bachelor’s degree in Spanish at Brown University. She earned a master’s degree in librarianship at the University of Denver, a school teaching certificate from Duquesne University, and a PhD from the University of Pittsburgh.

Other award winners handed out during March 31-April 3 conference include:

Gretchen Trominski, a volunteer with the El Paso Public Library, who received TLA’s Outstanding Services to Libraries award.

The new Ella Mae Gratts Shamblee Branch of the Fort Worth Library, which won the Libraries Change Communities Award, recognizing a collaborative community effort to promote library-based initiatives in Texas.

The Houston Public Library received the Wayne Williams Project of the Year award, in memory of longtime bookseller Wayne Williams, for providing essential daycare services for city workers in the aftermath of Hurricane Ike.

Kerry McGeath, city librarian at Southlake Public Library, was the recipient of the Librarian of the Year award, given annually to a TLA member who exhibits extraordinary leadership or service within the library community

The 2008 Benefactor Awards went to the T.L.L. Temple Foundation of Lufkin, recognizing its significant impact on libraries and their programs, the Landa Gardens Conservancy for its contribution to the Landa Memorial Branch Library in San Antonio, and Eric and Carolyn White, volunteers and donors to the Schertz Public Library.

The 2008 Distinguished Service Award went to Dana Rooks, dean of libraries at the University of Houston, for substantially demonstrated leadership and for contributing outstanding service in one or more areas of the library profession.

The Texas Library Association is the largest state library association in the United States with more than 7,000 members.