The New England Library Association (NELA) is proud to announce the recipient of the 2025 Emerson Greenway Award - Maine’s State Librarian, Lori Stockman. This is the highest award presented by NELA to a librarian who demonstrates distinguished service, innovation, leadership, and collaboration throughout the New England region. This year’s recipient has shown a high level of commitment, professionalism and dignity to the library profession in light of unprecedented challenges.

Lori’s work has positively impacted those around her. She has worked to strengthen communication across the region and build stronger systems, which many other state libraries have adopted. More than this, she advocates for intellectual freedom as well as legislation that impacts libraries throughout the region. Appointed Maine State Librarian in December 2022, Stockman has led efforts to strengthen statewide library networks, promote equitable access to information, and support innovation in rural and underserved communities. Before coming to Maine, she served as Assistant State Librarian at the New Hampshire State Library and spent 11 years as Director of the Baker Free Library in Bow, New Hampshire. Throughout her career, Lori has been active in professional leadership through the American Library Association, serving on the Committee on Legislation, the Intellectual Freedom & Advocacy Committee, and the ALA Policy Corps. Her work has focused on strengthening libraries as essential public institutions and ensuring that every resident, regardless of location, has access to high-quality information and resources. 

IFC Helpline

Did you know that IFC has a helpline?

The New England Intellectual Freedom Helpline connects librarians facing intellectual freedom challenges or issues to librarians from their home state who have volunteered to provide support and resources. Helpline coordinators who assign the cases will make every effort to match requestors to volunteers with similar library experience. Conversations between those seeking assistance and the volunteers is confidential. You may request to remain anonymous. Your case will be assigned and a volunteer will reach out soon.

IFC Helpline

Emerson Greenaway Award

Selection Criteria | Selection & Nomination Process | Past Recipients

The Emerson Greenaway Award is the New England Library Association’s award for distinguished service in librarianship. In 1988, NELA President Christine Kardokas established the “Great Librarian Award” to recognize the contributions of exceptional librarians. The first recipient to be honored for his outstanding achievements was Emerson Greenaway, an innovator in library organization and practice in the mid-twentieth century. Two years later, this regional tribute was renamed the Emerson Greenaway Award to honor the memory of its first recipient. It is presented annually, whenever there is a worthy candidate, at NELA’s Annual Conference.

[Bath, New Hampshire] – [March 21, 2025] – The New England Library Association (NELA) strongly opposes the Trump Administration's March 14th executive order to defund the Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS). Americans rely on public, school, and academic libraries to access knowledge and a wealth of resources. This action threatens essential funding for library programs and staff jobs that provide essential services such as: free access to information, educational opportunities, and digital resources—especially for underserved and rural communities.

Libraries are essential to our communities, offering free and equitable access to information, education, and technology. Defunding IMLS compromises literacy programs, workforce development, and access to technology that countless individuals rely on daily. We urge our members and the public to take action against this short-sighted executive order. Our libraries are an important piece of our American fabric. President John Adams said, "Let us tenderly and kindly cherish therefore, the means of knowledge. Let us dare to read, think, speak, and write."