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2023 Emerson Greenaway Award Recipient

Janet McKenney

NELA is pleased to announce Janet McKenney as the 2023 Emerson Greenaway Award Recipient.

Janet McKenney is an exceptional librarian whose career has been dedicated to the advancement of library services in her adopted state of Maine, and, through her outstanding leadership and numerous collaborations, across New England and the country. An early adopter of technology, she possessed the vision and the drive to improve library services in Maine by bringing technology, connectivity and related support to libraries statewide, understanding that a robust internet connection could make a big difference for library services in isolated communities. Throughout her career, she worked tirelessly to support librarians and library staff in their adoption of technology and digital services and build a robust network for libraries. While her expertise was clearly that of a technologist, she approached it as a humanitarian, never forgetting that first and foremost technology serves people and that all people deserve to have access to current technology, reliable high speed Internet, and the skills to use both effectively.

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2022 Emerson Greenaway Award Recipient

Michael York

The New England Library Association is thrilled to announce that this year’s recipient of the Emerson Greenaway Distinguished Service Award for Librarianship will be New Hampshire state librarian, Michael York. A librarian for over 45 years and New Hampshire’s state librarian since 1999, York has been a fixture in the New England library landscape for decades. In fact, York is a former president of the New England Library Association and the presenter of the very first Emerson Greenaway Award. Whether as the dean of libraries at the University of New Hampshire or as a librarian at Colby-Sawyer College, over the years York has constantly striven to enrich New England’s libraries and ensure that they are always able to meet the needs of New England residents.

2021 Emerson Greenaway Award Recipients

Jen Alvino (Director, Windham Public Library, ME)
Edward Garcia (Director, Cranston Public Library, RI)

 Jen Alvino

By the time Jen graduated with an MS in Library and Information Services in 2008 from Simmons College, she had already dedicated many years to working in public libraries.  She began her career in 1994 as a Page at the Portland Public Library.  Since then, she has held a variety of positions, from office assistant, substitute, and Lending Services and Systems Coordinator in Portland, to Technology Coordinator, Head of Lending Services, and Interim Assistant Director at the Walker Memorial Library, before becoming the Director of the Windham Public Library in 2013.  

Jen’s influence as a librarian extends well beyond her service area.  She has made significant contributions to the Maine Library Association as a longtime active member, recently serving as the Association President from 2019-2021.  MLA named her Outstanding Librarian of the year in 2014.  Jen has also been active in the American Library Association for many years, was the ALA Maine Chapter Councilor from 2014-2017, and has been active on many committees.  

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2019 Emerson Greenaway Award Recipient

Fay Zipkowitz

NELA is pleased to announce Fay Zipkowitz as the 2019 Emerson Greenaway Award recipient.  Fay’s distinguished’s career as a dedicated New England librarian began in 1966 and has included technical services, reference work, administration, and library science education.  She has, rightly, been described by her colleagues as a true Renaissance librarian.

Right out of library school, Fay worked as a Readers Advisor at the Cleveland Public Library, followed by a position as an archivist at the Temple, on the campus of Case Western Reserve.  She then moved to New England, where she worked for 11 years at the University of Massachusetts, Amherst in a variety of positions, including Head of Information Processing, Acting Head of Government Documents, and Assistant to the University Librarian.  During this time she also earned a Master’s degree in English at the university and worked on a doctorate in library science at Simmons College, which she received in 1977.  Fay then left UMass Amherst to become Director of the Worcester Consortium of Academic Libraries, followed by 5 years as Head of the Rhode Island Department of Library Services, where she also served as a member of the Governor’s cabinet.

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