Shannon Bailey, assistant librarian at Manchester High, is the recipient of the 2025 Frances Henne Award from the American Association of School Librarians. Sponsored by Bloomsbury Libraries Unlimited, the $1,250 award recognizes a school librarian with no more than five years of experience who demonstrates leadership qualities with students, teachers and administrators. The award will enable Bailey to attend her first American Association of School Librarians national conference.
Manchester High Librarian Karmeisha Showers-Pioch said:
"[Bailey] embodies what it means to be a librarian. She is constantly working to increase her knowledge, whether it is the latest in school librarianship or a research lesson on muscular disorders, Shannon’s quest to learn knows no bounds. With everything that she learns, every class that she takes, every conference or webinar that she attends, every article that she reads, she takes the knowledge that she’s acquired and applies it to make our library better for our entire school community."
Becky Calzada, president of the American Association of School Librarians, said:
"Shannon’s passion is evident in her statement: 'Being a school librarian energizes me in ways I never anticipated, and I like playing a role in igniting that spark for others.' It’s truly inspiring to see a newcomer to the profession not only revolutionizing her own school library with fresh ideas but also spearheading a regional conference for over 100 librarians. Her passion is contagious, and with her exceptional leadership, the future of school libraries is incredibly bright."