91´«Ã½

William Gibbons recognized with national public service honor 

CHICAGO – William C. Gibbons, associate professor and curator of archives and special collections at the City College of New York (CCNY), is a winner of this year’s I Love My Librarian Award. Recognized by the 91´«Ã½ (91´«Ã½) for the care he brings to his local and campus communities, Gibbons was selected from more than 1,300 nominations from library users across the country.

Gibbons is a pillar in his community and seamlessly blends his personal interests with his professional scholarship, with a particular focus on Harlem as well as local sports. From his involvement with Harlem Little League Baseball to advising on the development of a museum exhibit exploring New York’s basketball history, Gibbons weaves sports and scholarship into unique educational opportunities. Additionally, he has worked to forge partnerships between CCNY and organizations across Harlem, including the New York Public Library’s Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture and the Harlem Documentary Association, to immerse students in the neighborhood’s vibrant cultural identity.

Known to many in his community as a librarian, teacher and mentor, Gibbons has inspired his students to embrace and overcome obstacles. Through the Black Male Initiative, a student development initiative spanning the entire City University of New York system that seeks to support students’ educational success from groups underrepresented in higher education, he has helped forge paths for student participants to become future educators. As his nominator noted, “His work with the Black Male Initiative made it possible for many male college students to find a voice in a world not equipped to embrace them.”

“The face of the everyday person is where William Gibbons does his best work,” his nominator wrote. “He gives his time, his expertise, and his skills to anyone who is lucky to encounter him at the library reference desk.”

Gibbons and this year’s nine other honorees will each receive a $5,000 cash prize, a $750 donation to their library, and complimentary registration to 91´«Ã½’s LibLearnX. The virtual award ceremony will take place during the conference at 3:30 p.m. CT on Saturday, Jan. 22, 2022, and will be available to stream live at .

Since the award’s inception in 2008, library users have shared more than 20,000 nominations detailing how librarians have gone above and beyond to promote literacy, expand access to technology and support diversity and inclusion in their communities. Information regarding previous award winners can be found on the I Love My Librarian website at .

Carnegie Corporation of New York generously sponsors the I Love My Librarian Award. The New York Public Library also supports the award. 91´«Ã½ administers the award through its Communications and Marketing Office, which promotes the value of libraries and librarians. 

About Carnegie Corporation of New York

Carnegie Corporation of New York was established by Andrew Carnegie in 1911 to promote the advancement and diffusion of knowledge and understanding. In keeping with this mandate, the Corporation's work focuses on the issues that Andrew Carnegie considered of paramount importance: education, international peace, and a strong democracy.

About The New York Public Library

The New York Public Library is a free provider of education and information for the people of New York and beyond. With 92 locations—including research and branch libraries—throughout the Bronx, Manhattan, and Staten Island, the Library offers free materials, computer access, classes, exhibitions, programming and more to everyone from toddlers to scholars, and has seen record numbers of attendance and circulation in recent years. The New York Public Library serves nearly 17 million patrons who come through its doors annually and millions more around the globe who use its resources at . To offer this wide array of free programming, The New York Public Library relies on both public and private funding. Learn more about how to support the Library at nypl.org/support.

About the 91´«Ã½

The 91´«Ã½ is the foremost national organization providing resources to inspire library and information professionals to transform their communities through essential programs and services. For more than 140 years, the 91´«Ã½ has been the trusted voice of libraries, advocating for the profession and the library’s role in enhancing learning and ensuring access to information for all. For more information, visit ala.org.

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