Written by Hey all – please give a round of applause for @hharrisbrady!
Heather received the Library Support Staff of the Year award at October’s Michigan Library Association Conference.
On Facebook, MLA stated: “From pandemic response to leading creative programs like the “Year of Reading,” Heather ensures her library remains a vital community hub. Congratulations Heather!” And here is a bit more about the awards:
Presented annually, the Michigan Library Awards honor excellence, dedication, and outstanding service in the Michigan library community. The awards recognize library professionals, advocates, and institutions that support the highest quality library services, ensure access to information, and safeguard the right to read for all Michiganders.
These awards give us an opportunity to celebrate, and champion, the many librarians, library workers, and advocates who provide meaningful services and create lasting connections in their communities,” said Jenny Marr, President of the Michigan Library Association. “Your wins, your creativity, and even the challenges you overcome are what keep Michigan’s libraries strong — across our schools, campuses, public, tribal, and special libraries. What you do matters deeply, and we’re grateful for your service.”
The 2025 honorees were unveiled on Wednesday, October 29, during the Michigan Library Awards Gala in Lansing. Each recipient was selected through a peer-review process for their exceptional achievements.
Congratulations @hharrisbrady !!! How can we read more about the Year of Reading?
Thank you for asking! Here’s how I set it up:
January – Timeline display of our library’s 155 year history + 25th anniversary of our main library building
February – All ages cookie contest announcement
March – Cookie contest + Ultimate 155 Readathon announcement
April – 155 kickoff (Read 15.5 minutes a day for 155 days in honor of our founding Ladies LIbrary Assn.)
May – Bookmark contest
June to August – Summer reading
September – First 155 finishers report
October – 155 finishers party (after-hours in the library)
Our 155ers had a poster they used for tracking their reading, and many of them turned the posters into a work of art. Our 155 party included special bags and gifts, as well as behind-the-scenes tours of the library. Our finishers loved it, and we had finishers of all ages. We didn’t know if people would be into a challenge that long, but it was a big hit and many noted how much they looked forward to making the time to read every day.
@hharrisbrady Wonderful! You had me at cookies.
Thank you for the nice post Dr. Stephens 🙂 The award was very much a surprise. Here’s a copy of my acceptance speech:
Thank you, thank you to my home family and my TADL work family for all their support and encouragement. In the spirit of this award I feel I need to offer the same to all of you.
So, I’d like you to take a moment and picture a young person who visits your library and happens to be on public assistance. You might not know their specifics. But you’ll have some idea. You will probably also notice that they are somewhat reserved. Because, you see, when one is on public assistance you get used to someone being nice to you one minute, and then when they find out more about your circumstances, sometimes they are not so nice.
That is a lesson that will stay with them for their entire life. I know, because I was once one of those children.
How then, do you take this child and turn them into the Library Support Person of the Year? First, of course, you have to get them a library card. Charlotte Community Library— thank you for that card. It was the first card I ever had that did not have any shame attached to it.
That child is then going to grow up and someday they will find their way back to the library. When they do, and you hire them, you will need to empower and encourage them – and this includes the freedom to learn and make mistakes.
Friendships are important, to help lift each other up, because everyone’s going to have a bad day, but hopefully not all at the same time.
So, the next time you see that child you pictured earlier in your library, think of me. Because every day libraries change lives. And tonight, I stand here as living proof.
@hharrisbrady thank you for sharing!
Congrats Heather,
I believe the real stories offer a connection to the community and provide a ‘wow, she was like me’ moment to people/children/teenagers, and anyone who has been through similar situations. I work for LA County DCFS, and they have a program that allows social workers to sign up for a library card for youths, connecting libraries to children in the system. We are all advocates for libraries just by talking about them. Again, thanks to you and your award!
@jcrystalc