ESRT: Awards

Brian G. Martin Professional Development Award

This award was created:

• - To increase NYLA Annual Conference attendance by ESRT members
• - To encourage interest in professional development via the NYLA conference
• - To support individuals who share ESRT's goals

The Brian G. Martin Professional Development Award was established to encourage ESRT members' professional development while they attend programs during the NYLA Annual Conference. All ESRT members in good standing are eligible to apply (except for members of the ESRT Awards Committee and the ESRT Executive Board).

2023 Award Winner

Dear Colleagues:

As you may know, the NYLA annual Conference is scheduled to take place in Saratoga Springs, New York from November 1^st through November 4^th. The Ethnic Services Round Table would like to announce that we will be awarding the Brian G. Martin NYLA/ESRT Professional Development Award. The Brian G. Martin NYLA/ESRT Professional Development Award was established to encourage ESRT members' professional development while they attend programs during the NYLA Annual Conference, and is named in memory of Brian G. Martin, a former ESRT President.

As chair of the Ethnic Services Round Table (ESRT) Awards Committee, I encourage every ESRT Member to take advantage of this wonderful opportunity.  

The award was created to:

• Increase NYLA Annual Conference attendance by ESRT members
• Encourage interest in professional development by participating in the NYLA conference
• Support individuals who share ESRT’s goals

All ESRT members in good standing are eligible to apply (except for members of the ESRT Awards Committee). The award of $350 is intended to partially defray the costs of attending the NYLA Annual Conference in Saratoga Springs, NY from November 1-4, 2023.

To Apply send an e-mail to manuel.figueroa@queenslibrary.org and attach an essay in a Microsoft Word document. The essay should be 500 words or less and should describe your professional involvement with library service. Include significant library experiences and your activities with any professional associations and/or ethnic groups. Discuss how you see yourself as an active member of NYLA/ESRT now and in the future. Please include your name and contact information at the top of the document.

In the selection process, the awards committee will be considering the interest of an applicant in making a commitment to NYLA/ESRT activities in the future and their intent to attend future conferences.

The award recipient will be asked to sign a statement agreeing to:

• Attend programs during at least two days of the 2023 NYLA Annual Conference in Saratoga Springs, New York
• Attend the ESRT membership meeting and the NYLA Inaugural Awards Banquet
• Either make a brief presentation at the ESRT membership meeting immediately following the NYLA Annual Conference or submit a brief report about their conference experiences and the programs attended

If the recipient will be unable to attend the conference and complete the terms of the award, they will notify the ESRT Awards Committee and return the funds received.

Applications must be received by September 29, 2023.

Best Regards,

Manny Figueroa – Chair, Ethnic Services Round Table (ESRT) Awards Committee

Past Award Recipients

2022

Rakisha Kearns-White, Brooklyn Public Library

2019

Jamia Williams, University of Rochester

2018

Indira Mukherjee, Queens Public Library

2016

Tata Cañuelas, White Plains Public Library

2015

Xi (Cathy) Chen, Queens Library

2009

Gennady Yusim, Queens Library

2007

Abdullah Zahid, Queens Library

2006

Tim Baird, White Plains Public Library

ESRT Multicultural Award

2008

Fred Gitner, Queens Library

2007

Maria Buhl, Guilderland Public Library

2006

Zahra M. Baird, Chappaqua Public Library

Congratulations to all of you!

For information about ESRT awards, contact:
Manny Figueroa
Queens Library
89-11 Merrick Boulevard, Jamaica, NY 11432
Manuel.Figueroa@queenslibrary.org