Kathy Crimans and Jacob Nadal

At the annual SLIS Alumni Reception, held during the national conference of the American Library Association Annual Conference, the SLIS Distinguished Alumni Award (DAA) was presented to Kathleen “Kathy” Crimans, MLS’74. Approximately 80 SLIS graduates, family, and friends attended the reception, held at the Disney Californian Resort Hotel in Anaheim on June 24, 2012.

• The following is an excerpt from Kathy’s acceptance speech:

“I am so pleased with this award—it is such an amazing honor. I can hardly believe that I am now listed among several of my beloved professors, the dean of SLlS, and other very accomplished IU graduates!

When James Wiser called me at school on a late Friday afternoon with the news of the award, I was trying to pick up the pieces of a particularly busy day. I had taken 290 students on an all day adventure to a water park as a reward for our Accelerated Reading program. When I returned to school, I had so much to do to get ready for the next week. I was still in my wet bathing suit with a cover-up. The book drops were overflowing with books to check in and shelve before I left. I was overwhelmed and thought that I could be at school all night! Could James be kidding me? Did I just imagine that I was going to get an award? I had to laugh—an overworked elementary school librarian in wet clothes being "distinguished?” I felt more "extinguished.” Seriously, I was so surprised by any recognition that Friday. I was just doing my job in my little school in southern Indiana, teaching children the joy and love of reading in all the ways that I could create!

Thank you, SLlS, for preparing me for an amazing career! You have truly been an angel on my shoulder all these years. I accept this award on behalf of school librarians everywhere who make a BIG difference!”

Kathy recently retired as School Media Librarian at the Morgan Elementary School in Palmyra, Indiana. She and her husband Thom live in Corydon, Indiana.

Posted July 13, 2012