California Library Association

Technical Services Emerging Leader Award

Sponsored by Brodart

The CLA Technical Services Emerging Leader Award cultivates new leadership in the field of library technical services. The award honors emerging leaders, enables them to attend and actively participate in the CLA conference and technical services annual meeting, and encourages and inspires them to accept leadership roles within both CLA’s Technical Services Interest Group and the association as a whole.

A maximum of one award is given each year. CLA’s Technical Services Emerging Leader is presented with $500 (to help cover conference registration), honored at the CLA Annual Conference, and is enrolled into CLA’s Mentoring Program. 

The CLA Technical Services Emerging Leader Award is sponsored by Brodart. 

Application period
The 2025 awards application is now closed.

Eligibility

1. Applicants are required to be members of CLA.  If unsure, please contact the Executive Director for assistance no later than two weeks prior to the deadline. 

2. Applicants must be enrolled in a library degree program, be a recent library school graduate, or have no more than five years of post-master's degree experience. 

3. Applicants agree to attend and report on technical services meetings and programs at the CLA conference and must be willing to serve on a TSIG committee or task force, or run for TSIG office, following the annual conference. 

How to apply
Applicants should submit the following to CLA via this page: TSIG Emerging Leader Award

A brief professional interest statement (no more than 350 words) explaining your interest and background in technical services and your career goals. 

1. A resume or curriculum vitae; cover letters optional.

2. Evidence of committee work, special projects, program planning, etc. at the paraprofessional or student level are all plusses that the committee considers. 

Further information

• The CLA Technical Services Emerging Leader Award is coordinated by CLA's Technical Services Interest Group (TSIG).

• TSIG reserves the right not to give an award, if a qualified candidate is not found.

• Award recipients will be asked to submit a photograph to be used in award publicity.

• If you have questions about the award, please contact TSIG Chairs, Mary Kocman (mkocman@pvld.org) or Joshua Hutchinson (joshuah8@usc.edu)

2025 CLA Technical Services Emerging Leader Award Committee 

• Joshua Hutchinson, USC Libraries

• Tim Parker, Redondo Beach Library

• Karilyn Steward, Calabasas Library