The WLA Merit Awards offer the opportunity to recognize and highlight the outstanding work ongoing in Washington libraries. On behalf of the 2024 WLA Awards Committee, we're honored to recognize this year's Merit Awards recipients.
Candace Morgan Intellectual Freedom Award: Neighbors United for Progress, nominated by Sara Jones
Neighbors United for Progress (NUP) is a non-profit organization that seeks to find common ground and build a stronger community. They are recognized for their work to block an attempt to dissolve the Columbia County Rural Library District, which came under scrutiny for refusing to remove books with LGBTQ+ themes.
Honorary Lifetime Membership: Steve Hobbs, nominated by Sara Jones
Steve Hobbs is Washington’s 16th Secretary of State. He began his tenure in 2021 and was elected by the people of Washington in 2022. He is the first person of color to serve as Secretary of State and only the second in state history who was born in Washington.
Secretary Hobbs leads one of Washington’s most diverse state-government offices, which is responsible for managing state and local elections, corporation and charity filings, the Washington State Library, the Washington Talking Book & Braille Library, and the Washington State Archives. In addition, his office oversees the Combined Fund Drive for charitable giving by state employees, the Productivity Board state employee suggestion incentives program, and the Address Confidentiality Program to help protect survivors of crime.
When Secretary Hobbs assumed office, he prioritized greater election security, countering misleading and harmful election disinformation, and expanded voter education and outreach. In addition, he pledged to preserve Washington’s unique and rich history by enhancing Washington State Archives’ and Washington State Library’s capacity and ability to store and share state documents and other records.
Secretary Hobbs is a proud husband and father. He married his wife Pam in 1995, and together they raised three boys: Gavin, Truman, and Winston.
President's Award: Alki Editorial Committee 2023, nominated by Johanna Jacobsen Kiciman
Alki is devoted to providing relevant, thoughtful analyses of current and enduring issues for and about Washington libraries, personnel, and advocates. The 2023 committee is recognized for their open, equity-focused approach to the publication process, with particular distinction for the work of the editors, Bethany and Ray, for moving the journal to the online platform PubPub.
The 2023 Alki Editorial Committee includes:
Bethany McKinley, Editor-in-Chief
Ray Zill, Web Editor
Mikayla Kittilstved, Editorial Committee Chair
Ann Dyer, Editorial Committee Chair
Irene Miller
Anna Pedersen
Marisa Petrich
Emily Spracklin
Melanie Smith
Rebecca Stewart
Traci Timmons
Caitlin Wheeler
Julie Graham
Karmonda Pearson
Emeritus Award: Betha Gutsche, nominated by Steph Harmon on behalf of the WebJunction team at OCLC
Betha Gutsche entered the enriching field of libraries in mid-life. While pursuing her MLIS from the University of Washington Information School, she had the wonderful opportunity to intern with the curriculum development team in the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation U.S. Libraries Program. This experience led to an 18+-year role with OCLC’s WebJunction team. During her tenure, Betha managed multiple grant-funded programs and contributed to continuing education for library staff through defining competencies (editor-in-chief of Competency Index for the Library Field), developing curriculum, providing instructional design and training both in-person and online, and exploring new strategies in learning. She led the development of the training curriculum for Project Compass, which helped expand the capacity of U.S. libraries to support economic recovery in their communities. She created the curriculum and guided two cohorts of small/rural libraries through space and service transformation in Small Libraries Create Smart Spaces. She was instrumental in delivering WebJunction’s successful Wikipedia + Libraries and Improving Access to Civil Legal Justice courses. All of Betha’s work was strengthened and informed by her association with WLA, especially with the WALT group of innovative trainers. Now in retirement, Betha finds opportunities to celebrate the power of public libraries to anyone who will listen.
Outstanding Service Award: Loly Gomez, nominated by Haley McNealey
Loly was born and raised in Caracas and Isla Margarita, Venezuela. She studied at the University of Oriente in Isla Margarita, where she obtained a bachelor’s degree in Computer Science and specialized in Management with a focus on networks and telecommunications. Although she started working towards a master's degree in education there, she could not complete it due to her move to the United States. However, she recently completed an MBA in Business Intelligence from Universidad Catolica de Murcia. Her first job was as a Customer Service Analyst at Alimentos Polar Comercial, one of the largest food companies in Venezuela. There, she gained experience in inventory management, logistics, and distribution. Her professional career has been varied, starting in logistics, then dedicating herself to university education as a professor of Algorithms and Data Structures, and later software development. Loly has spent time as a freelance webmaster, as well as small business owner, Chief Information Officer of a small food delivery company, and Chief Technology Officer at a small gaming start-up. For the past six years, she has been working at the Upper Skagit Library as a Library Technology Specialist, where she has used the skills from her previous careers to serve and connect with the community and discovered her passion for social work, improving communities, and helping people. Loly volunteered at Community Action Skagit from January 2023 until July 2024. Outside of work, she enjoys painting, cooking, writing poetry, and practicing CrossFit, an activity that gives her energy despite being demanding. Migration to the United States has allowed her to form a new family in the Skagit Valley, where she spends time with her chosen family and enjoys activities such as choosing names for her “American sister’s” new cows, walking dogs by the river, or teaching Spanish to her best friends. She currently resides in Sedro-Woolley, WA.
Outstanding Service: Anna Trammell, nominated by Amita Lonial
Anna Trammell is the Community Archiving Program Manager at the Internet Archive. She is based in Tacoma and was most recently the Manager of Archives and Special Collections at Tacoma Public Library where she oversaw the Northwest Room Local History Collections and the Community Archives Center. She was previously the Archivist and Special Collections Librarian/Assistant Professor at Pacific Lutheran University in Tacoma and an Archivist at the University of Illinois Archives Research Center in Champaign, Illinois. She holds an MLIS with a focus on special collections from the University of Illinois and is a Certified Archivist with the Academy of Certified Archivists. Anna currently serves as the appointed Chair of the Society of American Archivists Committee on Public Awareness and is a member of the Community Advisory Committee for the Washington State Historical Society.
Outstanding Service Award: Amanda Six, nominated by Jessica Varang
Stevens County Library Director Amanda Six was nominated for her dedication to library services, digital equity, and advocacy efforts. The award "Recognizes outstanding contributions by an individual or group involved in improvement to library services, advances in the profession, advocacy for libraries, service to colleagues, or other outstanding work on behalf of libraries."
Outstanding Service Award: Millissa Macomber, nominated by Anne Booker
Millissa Macomber is the ILS Manager for the Central Skagit Rural Library District in Sedro-Woolley, Washington. She’s in the audiobook season of her reading life and is always looking for recommendations for her commute from Bellingham.
Libraries were not her first choice for employment. She tested out a wide range of career paths – weekly newspaper reporter, Excel pro, casino accounting specialist, substitute school aide – and finally landed a position at the Burlington-Edison High School library. She was hooked. This was the perfect mix of her talents. Sadly, the position ended (support your local school librarians and library techs) but happily, she found a new home at the public library. In January 2013, she began work as the cataloger for the Burlington Public Library. Ten years later, she moved over to the Central Skagit Library. Her next mission is advocating for a consortium of Skagit County libraries.
Millissa would like to thank all of her colleagues in Skagit County who make her smile as she drives her Mini Cooper to work. They provided her grown children a safe space for learning and now provide “choo choo twain” books for her adorable grandson.
Outstanding Service Award: Jessica McClinton Lopez, nominated by Nancy Henkel
Jessica (she/her pronouns) is the World Language Selector in KCLS CMS (Collection Management Services) Department. She’s worked in public libraries since 2001, earning my librarian degree for the University of Arizona in 2008. Prior to joining libraries, she taught English as an additional language and Spanish. Jessica was born and raised in the Seattle area. Her husband is from Ecatepec de Morelos in the State of Mexico outside of Mexico City. They speak Spanish at home with our two kiddos, dog and also a bearded dragon!
Jessica has been in this new role of World Languages Selector, part of a team of 7 KCLS Selection Librarians for a little over a year. This is a new position for KCLS, which serves an incredibly linguistically diverse community. According to KCLS DEI Community Demographic Analysis produced in 2022, roughly one-third of the overall KCLS community of over 1.5 million residents speaks a language other than English as their first language, with Spanish as the second most common language spoken by public school students. In this role of World Languages Selector, a new role for KCLS, Jessica helps select materials in 24 languages. She collaborates with our amazing CMS and community library staff in branches as well as our World Languages Coordinator DEI Department to help build relationships and connections directly with communities we serve and to help better meet their language collection needs.
Jessica is so incredibly grateful to the WLA Awards committee for this amazing recognition of World Language collection development. It was truly an honor to be able to receive this award on behalf of KCLS. Thank you!
Elementary Teacher-Librarian of the Year: Sarah Logan, nominated by Cathy Sork & Lisa B. Webb
Sarah Logan is the Teacher-Librarian at Dorothy Fox Elementary in Camas, Washington. She has a reputation for creating an engaging, student-centered school library program that has resulted in an authentic reading culture at Dorothy Fox.
As an active member of professional organizations, Sarah has made significant contributions to the field. She is a past chair of WLA’s School Library Division and currently serves as the Washington Library Association Board President. Sarah served on AASL’s ABC-CLIO Leadership Grant committee in 2023 and the Miss Honey Social Justice Award committee in 2024. In 2022-23, she partnered with the Washington State Library to facilitate a statewide book study for teams of Teacher-Librarians and classroom teachers on Donalyn Miller and Terri Lesesne’s book The Joy of Reading.
Sarah is a passionate advocate for access to quality school library programs and has been instrumental in the #K12Librarians4AllWA campaign, which seeks to increase the number of Teacher-Librarians in Washington’s K-12 public schools. She will continue to advocate for Washington’s students until they all have access to quality school library programs with qualified Teacher-Librarians.
Prior to moving to Washington in 2015, Sarah was the Teacher-Librarian at Lynbrook High School in San Jose. She earned her MLIS from San Jose State in 2012.
Elementary Teacher-Librarian of the Year: Jennifer Vega, nominated by Ryan Grant
Jennifer Vega is Teacher-Librarian at Hallett Elementary.
Excellence in School Leadership Award: Michael Christianson, nominated by Carolyn Olsen
Michael Christianson is the Chief Technology Officer of the Bethel School District.
After his nine-year career as a high school teacher at Mt. Tahoma High School, Mr. Christianson decided it was time for a change of scenery and moved to Spanaway, where he was offered an administrative position with the Bethel School District. He currently supports technology, alternative learning, career & technical education, and K-12 libraries.
In addition to being an educator, Michael is a regular contributor to the Washington Association of Career and Technical Administrators, School District Accounting Advisory Committee, and an enthusiastic Sounders fan. He has been awarded the Student Achievement Leadership Award by the Washington Association of School Administrators, recognized as a 2018 Pierce College Distinguished Alumnus, and inducted into the 2009 Pierce College and 2024 NW Athletic Conference Hall of Fame.
He holds an A.A.S. from Pierce College, B.A. from Central Washington University, M.A. from City University and Superintendent Credential from Washington State University. Michael is married to his high school sweetheart and has two adult children. He enjoys attending soccer matches and barbecuing with his family.
Excellence in School Leadership Award: Emily Jensen, nominated by Alicia Rogers
Emily Jensen is a Curriculum & Instruction Elementary Coordinator for Spokane Public Schools.
CAYAS Award for Visionary Library Services to Youth: Erin Smith and Mikayla Kittilstved, nominated by Georgette Rogers
Mikayla is the Adult & Teen Services Librarian at Liberty Lake Municipal Library and serves as Co-Chair of the Alki Editorial Committee. She enjoys playing board games, starting and abandoning DIY projects, and loafing with her cat, Purrlock Holmes.
Congratulations to this year's recipients, and thank you to all who participated in the nomination process! Winners were celebrated on Saturday, March 2, 2024, at the WLA Conference Awards Lunch in Spokane.
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