Sharon
Marie Perrella honored with Ken Smith School Library System
Award Honor
recognizes advocacy for the HFM School Library System and
professional development for library media specialists
Sharon Marie Perrella, Media Specialist in the Northville
Central School District, became only the third person in 17
years to be honored with the Ken Smith School Library System
Regional Award. She was recognized for her significant
contributions at a luncheon on May 21 at HFM BOCES.
The Ken Smith Award was designed to recognize individuals that
have encouraged professional growth among library media
specialists while being a strong advocate for the library system
as a central part of the educational program of the HFM BOCES
district.
Kenneth Smith served as HFM BOCES District Superintendent from
1970 -1988. It was during his tenure that Perrella and a group
of library media specialists met with him to initiate the
Hamilton-Fulton-Montgomery School Library System. Since then,
the HFM School Library System has coordinated the sharing of
materials between member libraries and been a portal to other
information resources. Perrella has been one of its strongest
advocates among her peers, school administrators and the local
communities.
Perrella has long welcomed interns from the SUNY Albany Library
Science Program, and several area school library media
specialists have benefited from her mentoring. She has also been
the chair of the HFM School Library System Long Range Planning
Committee since its inception, overseeing the smooth and timely
progression through many technological and educational changes.
Eleanor Reppenhagen, SLS Assistant Director, received the Ken
Smith Award in 1999, while Patricia Maderic, Assistant
Superintendent, HFM BOCES, was honored in 2001, making them the
only other recipients of the award.
A formal citation by Senator Hugh T. Farley was presented by his
aide, Jennifer Donovan. Donovan, one of Perrella’s past
students, shared a story about learning the correct way to do
research from Perrella. Donovan said it was something she
disliked at the time, but is now grateful to Perrella because of
the usefulness of those skills in her current position. |
