George Mason Award
The Virginia Library Association sponsors one association-wide award, the George Mason Award. This award is presented to an individual librarian; to a library; to an individual or organization distinguished for advocacy of libraries and/or information access; or to an institution, business, or academic program whose activity has contributed to the development, growth, and extension of library and information services in the local community, the state, or the nation. An award is not necessarily given every year.
George Mason Award | ||
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Year | Name | Library or Institution |
1986 | A. L. Philpott | Delegate, Virginia General Assembly |
1987 | C. E. Charitable Trust | C. E. Charitable Trust |
1990 | Robert B. Ball | Delegate, Virginia General Assembly |
1991 | Lawrence Reed O’Brien Sr. | Virginia Educational Vendors Association |
1993 | Ida Patton | Library of Virginia |
1994 | Theresa Byrd | J. Sergeant Reynolds Community College |
1995 | Linda L. Krantz | Rockbridge Regional Library |
1996 | Marjorie Morgan Freeman | Lynchburg College |
1997 | Dennis E. Robison | James Madison University |
1998 | Chryssi Maria Dessypris | Library of Virginia |
1999 | Phillip West Cancer Resource Center | Williamsburg Regional Library |
2000 | Nelson Worley | Library of Virginia |
2002 | Hon. John H. Chichester | Senator, Virginia General Assembly |
2003 | Linda Hahne | Virginia Library Association |
2004 | Ann Friedman | Arlington County Public Library |

George Mason Award winners Linda Hahne, 2003, and Dennis Robison, 1997.
Trustee Library Award
The Trustee Library Award is presented in recognition of distinguished service to libraries or a library in Virginia. The trustee honored may have served on the local, state, regional, or national level, or at a combination of levels. An award is not necessarily given every year.
Trustee Library Award | ||
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Year | Name | Library or Institution |
1981 | Mary R. Jamieson Jack Robertson |
Rappahannock County Library Virginia Beach Public Library |
1988 | Virginia Kelly Sara V. Kyle |
Pulaski County Library Carroll County Regional Library |
1990 | Jean Mehler Joyce Phillips James McEckron |
Waynesboro Public Library Prince William Public Library Augusta County Library |
1991 | Cynthia Ghaemmaghami Eleanor Smith Lurlene Willoughby |
Chesapeake Public Library Central Rappahannock Regional Library Loudoun County Public Library |
1993 | Betty Cullota Andrew McCutcheon Jr. |
Rockbridge Regional Library State Library Board |
1994 | Donald C. Kiscaden | Staunton Public Library |
1996 | R. Frank Tobin | Central Rappahannock Regional Library |
1997 | Stephen E. Story | Norfolk Public Library |
1998 | Phylis A. Salak | Fairfax County Public Library |
1999 | Linda Conti-White | Loudoun County Public Library |
2000 | George M. Van Sant | Central Rappahannock Regional Library |
2001 | Marjorie Cooper | Bedford Public Library |
2003 | Betty Jane Simpson | Blue Ridge Regional Library |
2004 | Richard “Dick” M. Hamrick Jr. | Staunton Public Library |
Friends of the Library Award
The Friends of the Library Award is presented annually to one or more Friends groups in recognition of distinguished service to libraries or a library in Virginia. An award is not necessarily given every year.
Friends of the Library Award | |
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Year | Friends |
1988 | Handley Regional Library |
1989 | Jefferson-Madison Regional Library |
Richmond Public Library | |
1990 | George Mason Regional Library |
Salem Public Library | |
Virginia Beach Public Library | |
Boatwright Library at the University of Richmond | |
1991 | Waynesboro Public Library |
Central Rappahannock Regional Library | |
1992 | Buckingham County Library |
Charlotte County Library | |
John McMahon of the Newport News Public Library | |
West Point Branch, Pamunkey Regional Library, and the West Point Literary Club | |
1993 | Chesterfield County Public Library |
Fairfax City Regional Library | |
George Mason Regional Library | |
Reston Regional Library | |
1994 | Chesterfield County Public Library |
Williamsburg Regional Library | |
1995 | Lynchburg Public Library |
Richmond Public Library | |
1997 | Victoria Public Library of Southsheaderse Regional Library |
1998 | Chesterfield County Public Library |
1999 | Virginia Beach Public Library |
2000 | George Mason Regional Library |
2001 | Newport News Public Library |
2002 | Washington County Public Library |
2003 | Goochland Branch of the Pamunkey Regional Library |
Honorary Life Members
Eligibility for an honorary life membership is confined to trustees or former trustees, Friends of Virginia libraries, and Virginia librarians and paraprofessionals who have held membership and who have made outstanding contributions to Virginia librarianship.
Names and information on nominees are approved by the VLA Council and appear on the annual ballot to be voted on by the membership. Members may vote on more than one nominee, and more than one may be elected. A majority of fifty percent plus one of those voting determines life membership. Acceptance of nominees by the membership bestows on the honorary life member full benefits of membership without dues. An award is not necessarily given every year.
Honorary Life Members | ||
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Year | Name | Library or Institution |
1980 | Elizabeth Cooper | Chesterfield County Public Library |
Elizabeth A. Scott | Dabney S. Lancaster Community College | |
Lucille Dobson Snow | Roanoke College, Hollins College | |
1981 | Jane B. Nida | Arlington County Public Library |
Ida Mae Leatherman | Richmond Public Library | |
Raymond E. Williams | Jefferson-Madison Regional Library | |
1982 | Katherine M. Smith | Library of Virginia |
Frank C. Shirk | Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University | |
Henry James Jr. | Sweet Briar College | |
1983 | Robert Ball | Delegate, Virginia General Assembly |
Mary Ester Grubb | Loudoun County Public Library | |
Sterling Bagby | Halifax County South Boston Regional Library | |
Alice Bauer | University of Virginia | |
Miller Boord | Randolph Macon Woman’s College | |
Margaret Sue Carpenter | City of Richmond Public Schools | |
Marjorie Dennin | Northern Virginia Community College | |
Mary Frances Propst | Southside Regional Library | |
Crimora Waite | Culpeper Town and County Library | |
Bess P. Walford | Philip Morris | |
1984 | H. Gordon Bechanan | Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University |
Mary A. Marshallv | Delegate, Virginia General Assembly | |
Hannah McLay | Virginia State Library Consultant | |
Mary Elizabeth Mather | City of Richmond Public Schools | |
John H. Robertson | Virginia Beach Public Library | |
Howard M. Smith | Richmond Public Library | |
1985 | Maurice D. Leach Jr. | Washington and Lee University |
J. William Doswell | VLA Lobbyist | |
M. Patricia Carey | Fairfax County Public Library | |
Mary Lynch Molyneux | Bedford Public Library | |
Richard M. Bagley | Delegate, Virginia General Assembly | |
Sarah W. Crews | Library of Virginia | |
Verdelle V. Bradley | Virginia Union University | |
1990 | Bertha W. Edwards | Portsmouth Community Library |
Jane Lego | Norfolk Public Libraryv | |
1991 | Gladys Caywood | Newport News Public Schools |
Florence Chandler | ||
Theda Gibson | Lonesome Pine Regional Library | |
Martha LeStourgeon | Longwood College | |
Sarah Wallace | ||
1992 | Beverly Bagan | City of Richmond Public Schools |
Elizabeth Browning | Henrico County Public Schools | |
Ray W. Frantz | University of Virginia | |
Jeanne G. Plitt | Alexandria Library | |
William C. Pollardv | Mary Baldwin College | |
Marjorie Tallichet | Alexandria Library | |
Betty Wooldridge | Blue Ridge Regional Library | |
1994 | Catherine Vaughan | |
1995 | Jim Gaines | Virginia Military Institute |
1996 | Beth Askew | Nelson County Public Library |
Dale W. Brown | Arlington County Schools | |
Dean Burgess | Portsmouth Public Library | |
1998 | Dennis E. Robison | James Madison University |
1999 | Ruth J. Turner | Fairfax County Public Library |
Rebecca Laine | Longwood College | |
2001 | Terry Sumey | Lynchburg College |
2002 | Carolyn Tate | University of Richmond |
Jefferson Cup Award
The Jefferson Cup Award honors a distinguished work of American biography, historical fiction, or history for young people. The Youth Services Forum of the Virginia Library Association has presented this award annually since the 1982 publishing year. Through the award, the Youth Services Forum seeks to promote reading about America’s past; to encourage quality writing of United States history, biography, and historical fiction for young people; and to recognize authors in these disciplines.
Jefferson Cup Award | ||
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Year | Author | Title |
1983 | Milton Meltzer | The Jewish Americans: A History in Their Own Words, 1650-1950 |
1984 | Paula Spencer Underwood | Who Speaks for Wolf: A Native American Learning Story as Told to Turtle Woman Singing by Her Father, Sharp-Eyed Hawk |
1985 | Bette Bao Lord | In the Year of the Boar and Jackie Robinson |
1986 | Patricia MacLachlan | Sarah, Plain and Tall |
1987 | Margaret Rostkowski | After the Dancing Days |
1988 | Russell Freedman | Lincoln: A Photobiography |
1989 | Virginia Hamilton | Anthony Burns: The Defeat and Triumph of a Fugitive Slave |
1990 | Carolyn Reeder | Shades of Gray |
1991 | Russell Freedman | Franklin Delano Roosevelt |
1992 | Russell Freedman | The Wright Brothers: How They Invented the Airplane |
1993 | Jerry Stanley | Children of the Dust Bowl: The True Story of the School at Weedpatch Camp |
1994 | Jim Murphy | Across America on an Emigrant Train |
1995 | Patricia Polacco | Pink and Say |
1996 | Jim Murphy | The Great Fire |
1997 | Jean Thesman | The Ornament Tree |
1998 | Leon Walter Tillage | Leon’s Story |
1999 | Gary Paulsen | Soldier’s Heart: Being the Story of the Enlistment and Due Service of the Boy Charley Goddard in the First Minnesota Volunteers |
2000 | Katherine Paterson | Preacher’s Boy |
2001 | Jim Murphy | Blizzard: The Storm That Changed America |
2002 | Elisa Carbone | Storm Warriors |
2003 | Chris Crowe | Mississippi Trial, 1955 |
2004 | Kristine L. Franklin | Grape Thief |
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