Danielle DiAmico Honored as MLA’s 2019 Rising Star

For Immediate Release: October 17, 2019                                                                     
Contact: Deborah E. Mikula (517) 394-2774 ext. 224       

LANSING – The Michigan Library Association (MLA) is pleased to announce Danielle DiAmico has been named the 2019 Rising Star. DiAmico received the award during the MLA 2019 Annual Conference Awards Luncheon on October 17 in Novi.

DiAmico is truly a rising star in libraries. Well respected by fellow staff and patrons alike, she is passionate about giving back to the community-building programs, collections, and new activities to meet the needs of patrons. After serving as a department head at the Bay County Library System for little more than a year, her accomplishments inspire other staff, and her desire to make libraries increasingly relevant in the community is remarkable.

DiAmico has been instrumental in building and implementing new programs, collections and activities to meet diverse needs in the community. From her annual “Kids Helping Kids” program where children make or create something that helps others; to creating and fundraising for STEM kits; to school outreach, including teambuilding “breakout boxes” for teens; playing her ukulele for local students; and making sure elementary students without a school library received library cards. DiAmico’s warmth, kindness, passion for the library profession and service to her patrons and community make her truly deserving to be named the MLA 2019 Rising Star.

The Rising Star Award recognizes a librarian who shows leadership early in their career. Award winners are energetic efficient librarians who push the boundaries of originality and creativity to establish a library culture that sets high expectations, promotes learning, and creates understanding of the library as an integral part of the community.

The Michigan Library Association (MLA) is Michigan's oldest and largest library association. Guided by the belief that free access to information is the cornerstone of a free society, MLA has advocated for libraries on behalf of the state's residents for more than 125 years. MLA's membership is comprised of more than 1,600 individual and organizational members from public, academic, school and special libraries. MLA defends the right to read, advocates for adequate library funding, clarifies library governance issues, promotes librarian education and works for free access to information for all residents. For more information visit milibraries.org.