This honor roll for Illinois libraries serves the dual purpose of recognizing outstanding voices in the library community, while creating a legacy through the ILA Endowment to continue their important work.
2024
Ellen C. Popit
Ellen C. Popit is the Associate Director of the Illinois Heartland Library System (IHLS) and has been a dedicated library proponent over the course of her 39-year career. She began her career in school and public libraries before moving to the Shawnee Library System in 1991. During her lengthy career, Popit has served as an advisor, consultant, leader, and mentor to all types of libraries and library staff.
Popit was awarded the highly selective Association of Illinois School Library Educators (AISLE) Crystal Honor Award in 2020. This award is given to those who have shown distinguished support of or contributions to the school library profession, school libraries in Illinois, and/or contributions to the AISLE.
Popit’s influence and devotion to the Illinois library community is evidenced by her participation in several committees. She has served as a Director-at-large on the ILA Executive Board; been a member of the ILA Conference Program Committee, serving as Co-chair for the 2010 Libraries Out Loud ILA Annual Conference; served on the Serving Our Public Committee for both the 3.0 and 4.0 revisions, and served on the ILA Public Policy Committee in an ex officio capacity. Popit is a founding committee member of the successful Directors’ University, now in its 8th year; has served on the biennial Illinois Youth Services Institute Planning Committee; has been both Chair and member of the Rebecca Caudill Young Readers Book Awards; and been a Synergy and ILEAD U mentor. Popit’s service further includes the Institute for School & Public Libraries, the Small Public Library Management Institute, the Illinois State Library Advisory Committee, and serving on AISLE/ISLMA’s Readers' Choice Committee and Conference Committee.
Inducted July 16, 2024
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