The Carnegie Corporation of New York, The New York Times, and the American Library Association announced the I Love My Librarian winners.  From the ALA Web site:

 Librarians in our nation’s 123,000 libraries make a difference in the lives of millions of Americans every day. Today, 10 librarians are recognized for service to their communities, schools and campuses as winners of the Carnegie Corporation of New York/New York Times I Love My Librarian Award. More than 3,200 library users nationwide nominated a librarian. The 10 award recipients are:

Linda Allen, Libraries Director, Pasco County Library System, Hudson, Fla.

Jean Amaral, Reference Librarian, Antioch University New England, Keene, N.H.

Amy J. Cheney, Library, Alameda County Library, Juvenile Hall, San Leandro, Calif.

Jennifer Lankford Demsey, Library Media Specialist and Technology Coordiantor, Wrights Mill Road Elementary School, Auburn, Ala.

Carol W. Levers, Community Services Librarian, Kansas City, Kansas public Library, Weekend Supervisor Plaza Branch Library, Kansas City Public Library, Kansas City, Mo.

Dr. Margaret “Gigi” Lincoln, Library Media Specialist, Lakeview High School Library, Battle Creek, Mich.

Iona R. Malanchuk, Associate University Librarian and Head of the Education Library, University of Florida, Gainesville, Fla.

Elaine McIlroy, Director, Wellfleet Public Library, Wellfleet, Mass.

Paul McIntosh, Library Media Specialist, Wadleigh Secondary School for the Performing and Visual Arts, New York, N.Y.

 Arezoo Moseni, Senior Library, The New York Public Library, Mid-Manhattan Library, The Art Collection, New York, N.Y.

Special kudos to my colleague in Michigan, Gigi Lincoln, who represents Michigan school librarians so well  and in so many venues!

Ugh.  Especially for those of us in the Midwest, times aren’t so good.  As the Big 3 automakers lobby Congress for emergency loans, our district’s unions are without a contract, and the nation’s economy wobbles, ’tis the season for anticipating that districts will have to continue to tighten their belts.  And often, that means that the budget axe hovers over school libraries.Doug Johnson has some suggestions for what to do now if you suspect that budget cuts are a-comin as well as proactive strategies.  Check them out here.Â

Joyce Valenza’s post today about the role of the librarian when technology is going full-tilt in the classrooms (e.g., laptops in the classrooms vs. when the class comes down to the lab adjoining the library) is a must-read.  Period.