Ricki V. Brown Librarian of the Year Award

About the Award

This award was established by the Friends of the Library to honor former City Librarian Ricki Brown, who headed the Abilene Public Library from 1998 to 2013 before her passing.

Qualifications

Recipients are nominated by the community and selected in recognition of outstanding leadership and accomplishment in library science representing public, academic, and school libraries in Abilene.

Award Perks

Award recipients are announced each November. Award recipients receive a $500 award and their name is added to a commemorative plaque at the Abilene Public Library.

List of Past Award Recipients

  1. 2021
  2. 2020
  3. 2019
  4. 2018
  5. 2017
  6. 2016
  7. 2015
  8. 2014

Heather Carter - Librarian of the Year 2021Heather Carter

Heather Carter is one of our newest librarians at the Abilene Public Library; however, she's been an longtime employee having served in the circulation and children's departments, as well as having worked at each of the three branch libraries. As a librarian, Carter has increased services for the adult demographic, offering many outlets for the community to come out and have some fun, while learning at the same time.

Carter was crucial in the setup and running of the Main Library's Creation Station, a makerspace that's open to the community to come out and use various tools for completing projects. She has also created a set of maker kits that can be checked out and taken home so adults can learn a new hobby, to see if they like it or not, before investing in the materials themselves. Such kits cover calligraphy, crocheting, soap making, loom knitting, and a host of other hobbies. Carter leads several successful programs for adults including a monthly crafting workshop, a crochet and knitting club, and informational learning workshop, as well as being on hand to assist the public in all the library needs.

An active member of the Texas Library Association, Carter also is on their Lariat Committee of professionals in the state selecting great reads for the adult audience for promoting.  We're happy to see she's the recipient of this award and we expect to see a lot from her in the future.