Tabatha “Tabby” Farney, director of web services and emerging technologies and associate professor, is a treasured resource at the University of Colorado in Colorado Springs.

She so impressed one colleague that when he nominated her for a 2016 I Love My Librarian Award, Donald Klingner called her “the best librarian I’ve worked with in my 42 years as a tenured or tenure-earning professor of public administration at public universities in Indiana, Florida and Colorado since 1974.”  High praise, but definitely earned, as her record as research librarian to the UCCS School of Public Affairs over a six-year period attests.

During that time, she expanded access of scholarly information for faculty, students and staff. Her impact on the MPA (Master of Public Administration) helped it achieve a full seven-year accreditation from an international accrediting body, NASPAA (the Network of Schools of Public Policy, Affairs and Administration).  “I know that her support services have contributed directly and in measurable ways to transforming lives – our own, our students, and in the communities we serve,” Klingner said.

Elissa Checov’s vision extends beyond her library at Gwinnett Technical College in Lawrenceville, Georgia.  That vision is the reason she received one of the 2016 I Love My Librarian awards.

Her nominator for the award, Brian Wren, said Checov rejects the notion that the library is merely “a repository for old books and ideas struggling to keep up with the accessibility of information on the internet.”  She makes sure her library is a magnet for students – a place where they can engage with each other and develop their skills with the latest technology.

One sees the difference when one enters the library. She redesigned the entrance to give the space more of a lounge feel. Students are welcomed into a commons area with comfortable seating and themed displays that encourage them to interact socially and collaborate on projects.

Surveying the library, one is struck by the sight of students diligently working on library computers and laptops and occupying carrels and conference rooms.  Headcounts reveal anywhere from 45 to 75 people occupying the library throughout the day, with the library often filled by 9 a.m.

Lia Kharis Hillman has turned her library into a moveable feast.

Hillman, fourth floor program manager at the San Francisco Public Library, drew upon her experience as a former chef to cook up a garden and food education program in library branches across the city.

The program, which helps underserved families meet challenges they have in cooking and, as a result, promotes a healthier lifestyle, is one example of why she was one of 10 chosen for the 2016 I Love My Librarian Award.

Carolyn Federman. her nominator for the 2016 I Love My Librarian award, for which she was one of 10 recipients, said, “Lia has started many programs that extend the role of the library to provide social supports for the community, and each of these programs is now an on-going part of library services thanks to her solo effort.”

At Armstrong Elementary School Eastover, North Carolina, more than 60 percent of the children receive free or reduced price school lunch.  Although poverty is perceived to be a predictor of low academic success, the students at Armstrong, despite high levels of poverty, excel in reading and library use.

A major factor is the school librarian, Leslie Koch, whose work garnered her an I Love My Librarian Award in 2015.  The numbers provide strong testimony to the success of her efforts.

During the 2014-15 school year, among the 400 students, the library circulated more than 32,500 books, an average of more than 81 books per student over the course of the year, or greater than nine books per month per student, according to her nominator for the award, Ardry Adams.

Adams said, “Ms. Koch recognizes the importance of reaching all children, and especially those from impoverished homes. Students who read, excel. Ms. Koch is raising the bar, encouraging each student to rise up, read, and excel in their individual academic endeavors.”

More than 50 residents signed challenge forms, aiming to get “My Princess Boy” and “This Day in June” off the shelves of the Hood County Library in Granbury, Texas.

But the library director, Courtney Kincaid, held her ground, refusing to cave under pressure.

“My Princess Boy,” written by Cheryl Kilodavis and illustrated by Suzanne DeSimone, is, according to goodreads.com, “a nonfiction picture book about acceptance. With words and illustrations even the youngest of children can understand, My Princess Boy tells the tale of 4-year-old boy who happily expresses his authentic self by happily dressing up in dresses, and enjoying traditional girl things such as jewelry and anything pink or sparkly.”