The WSU School of Library and Information Science congratulates three of its graduates for awards bestowed by the Michigan Library Association in 2011.

The 2011 MLA Award of Excellence winner is Steven K. Bowers, Executive Director, Detroit Area Library Network (DALNET). Bowers, a 2002 graduate of the School of Library and Information Science, currently teaches "Integrated Library Systems" in addition to his duties at DALNET. The MLA Award of Excellence honors someone who has made an outstanding contribution to effective and improved local library service, promoted library cooperation, or contributed to professional or community activities.

Cathleen A. Russ, a 2003 alumna of the School and current Director of the Troy, Michigan Public Library, is the winner of the 2011 Loleta D. Fyan Award, which is given to a librarian who has transformed a routine task or an untried idea into imaginative, creative service, projected a dynamic image of the professional librarian, and offered his or her college, university, school institution, industry or local community, etc. something which it did not have before. Russ also teaches part-time for the School of Library and Information Science.

Tera Moon, Business Librarian at Southfield Public Library and 2002 alumna of the School of Library and Information Science, is the recipient of the Walter H. Kaiser Award. The Kaiser Award is presented to a librarian, trustee or person associated with libraries with the broad educational goals of librarianship, who contributes an idea, procedure, concept or adaptation which results in the improvement of a library or libraries in Michigan.

The 2011 MLA Award winners will be honored during the MLA Annual Conference Awards Banquet, Wednesday, October 26, 2011, from 6:15-8:15 p.m. (which is immediately following the School's Alumni Reception) at the Kalamazoo Radisson.

For a complete list of 2011 MLA Award winners, see http://www.mla.lib.mi.us/node/1405

Congratulations Steven, Cathy, and Tera!