Principal Earns Library Advocate of the Year Award

The Western Pennsylvania Librarians Association (WPSLA) awarded Pine-Richland Middle School (PRMS) Principal Dr. Kathleen Harrington with the WPSLA Advocate of the Year Award.

WPSLA President Gabriella Miller, a librarian at Quaker Valley School District (QVSD), along with past presidents Kathy Batykefer, PRMS librarian, and Rich Hollein, QVSD librarian, presented Dr. Harrington with the prestigious award at the Pine-Richland School Board meeting on May 20, 2008.

The purpose of the award is to recognize a school advocate whose support has maintained an exemplary library program, whose efforts have improved an existing program, or who has initiated a program where none existed. 

Some of the criteria include facilities improvement and support of provisional development opportunities for librarians. The award recognizes those outside the library profession who play a critical role in the success of school library programs. The advocate must be nominated by a WSPLA member.

“I want to thank the Western PA School Librarians Association for this amazing honor and especially Kathy Batykefer for nominating me,” Dr. Harrington said. “As a former reading teacher, I cannot think of an honor that I could cherish more than this. The importance of reading and technology that are emphasized and taught everyday through our library and librarians like Mrs. Batykefer are to be applauded. Reading is power. Books are Magic. Librarians like Mrs. Batykefer bring that world of adventure and magic everyday to our children.”