SILS alum Julie Stivers (MSLS ‘15) received the Media Coordinator of the Year Award by the North Carolina School Library Media Association (NCSLMA). The award is presented annually to a media coordinator, or team of media coordinators at one school, in recognition of outstanding performance in the school library media center.

Stivers is currently a librarian at Mt. Vernon Middle School of the Wake County Public School System (WCPSS). In her role, Stivers works to improve inclusivity and student literacy to build a safe space for students to learn and grow.

“It has never been harder to be a school librarian and it has never been more important. I love that the school library can be at the heart of a school, not as a buzzword, but as the muscle that drives student literacy, engagement and inclusion,” Stivers said. “As a librarian, I have the great honor of not only supporting my students’ reading lives, but also nurturing their interests and their full selves.”

Stivers also recognizes the work of librarians across the state who work to ensure school libraries foster a positive and inclusive environment.

“There are so many school librarians in N.C. doing amazing work. This award is an endorsement and amplification of inclusive, student-centered librarianship,” Stivers said. “Here’s to all of us creating libraries that are BIPOC-centered, Queer-affirming, Disability-positive, and Mental health-sensitive. Here’s to us all building brave spaces where our students can be their true, full selves.”

NCLMA is a professional organization dedicated to supporting, promoting, and empowering school librarians across the state as they transform their school communities. NCMLA presented the Media Coordinator of the Year Award to Stivers during the organization’s annual conference in October. Learn more about NCMLA here: ncslma.wildapricot.org.

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