An OCDE librarian with the unique ability to connect with students who are incarcerated through her love of reading and her passion for learning has received the prestigious I Love My Librarian Award.
Sylvia Cieply, who works at the Otto A. Fischer School within Orange County Juvenile Hall, is one of only 10 librarians in the U.S. to be recognized this year out of 1,300 submissions, according to this news release from the American Library Association.
Established in 2008, the I Love My Librarian Award is a collaborative program of the ALA, the Carnegie Corporation of New York, The New York Public Library and The New York Times. The goal is to encourage library users to spotlight the accomplishments of exceptional librarians, whether they work at public libraries, schools or colleges.
Cieply was honored for recognizing the need for students to read books that reflect their experiences and interests. Under her leadership, the library has transformed into a central hub full of educational activities where students can access to up-to-date technology, attend speaker forums with invited authors, enjoy potluck celebrations and watch classic movie series.
Along with a special plaque for her library, Cieply will receive a $5,000 cash prize, to be presented at an award ceremony in New York.
You can read Sylvia’s complete nomination letter here. And for a complete list of the 2015 award recipients, visit the I Love My Librarian Award website.