Laura Sherbo, Program Manager for Branch Library Services at the Washington State Library, has been awarded the Professional Achievement Award award by the Association of Specialized and Cooperative Library Agencies (ASCLA), a division of the American Library Association. The announcement is at http://americanlibrariesmagazine.org/news/ala/washington-state-library-s-laura-sherbo-receives-leadership-award-ascla. Laura’s staff (former and current) nominated her for the award.

Melisa Gilbert manages the Coyote Ridge Correctional Center branch. In her nomination letter she wrote, "Laura Sherbo is one of those people who works hard but never draws attention to herself . I am going to describe the characteristics that make Laura a great leader and professional in the world of library services to incarcerated populations throughout the state of Washington."

Kathleen Benoun, Manager of the Washington State Hospital Library wrote about budget cuts, "Despite such devastating setbacks to library services, Laura Sherbo inspired her division team to re-prioritize library functions to meet the most critical needs of the institutionalized." (See her letter.)

Finally, Neal Van Der Voorn, a former WSL employ wrote, "As long as I have known Laura, she has dedicated her professional career as a leader of professional and paraprofessional staff, demanding that inmates of correctional centers, patients at the two state hospitals, and residents at the residential institutions for the developmentally delayed receive highest quality library services." (See his letter.)

Acting State Librarian Rand Simmons stated, "I am so pleased that Laura is being honored for her leadership. She is dedicated to library service to prison inmates and to mental hospital patients through the Washington State Library’s Branch Library Services program. In addition Laura also oversees our branches in state agencies. Laura’s leadership is apparent in the dedication of the staff who manage our branches. It is an honor to Laura that she was nominated by staff. Laura is a delight to work with and I appreciate her involvement in the management team."

Laura, job well done and award well deserved!