ACRL Chapters Council

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(via the Illinois Library Association)

Michelle Nielsen Ott, Sciences/Health Sciences Librarian at Cullom-Davis Library at Bradley University, is the 2022 recipient of the Illinois Library Association (ILA) Illinois Academic Librarian of the Year Award. The award, presented by the ILA Illinois Association of College and Research Libraries (IACRL) Forum, recognizes an Illinois librarian who is making an outstanding statewide contribution to academic or research librarianship and to library development. The award is sponsored by Library Juice Academy.

Michelle joined the faculty of Cullom-Davis Library at Bradley University in 2021 as the subject librarian for Sciences and Health Sciences. In this role, she works closely with subject faculty in the planning, teaching, and assessing of the information literacy skills of both undergraduate and graduate students. As a liaison librarian, Michelle also develops online learning resources, participates in reference services, and does collection development. Previously, Michelle was the Director of Library Services at Methodist College in Peoria for five years. She served as the Outreach and Reference Librarian at Illinois Central College from 2009 to 2017.

Michelle's service to ILA and IACRL is impressive. She was President of IACRL from 2019 to 2020. She served as chair of the IACRL Conference and Continuing Education Committee while President Elect and was chair of Awards and Nominations Committees as Past President. Additionally, Michelle was IACRL Secretary in 2015-2016. while also serving on the IACRL Membership Committee. Her service to ILA includes the Advocacy Committee from 2017 to 2020.

In addition to her work at Bradley University, Michelle teaches a variety of courses in the Library Technical Assistant program at Illinois Central College and has been an instructor in the program since 2010. Courses she teaches include Introduction to Libraries, Introduction to Reference & Information Services, and Electronic Resources and Online Searching.

Michelle has received accolades for her work in academic libraries. She is currently a Research Training Institute Fellow for the Medical Library Association. She was also inducted into the Honor Society of Phi Kappa Phi and won the Golden Gem Award from the American Association for Women in Community Colleges.

To see the full announcement, please click here. Congratulations!