<p> PRESS RELEASE</p><p>April 29, 2015</p><p>For more information, contact: Sara Ortiz, [email protected] Communications & Marketing Specialist 512-328-1518</p><p>Jeanette Larson Recipient of the Texas Library Association’s 2015 Distinguished Service Award</p><p>April 14 – 17, 2015 at the Austin Convention Center</p><p>AUSTIN – April 29, 2015 – Jeanette Larson of Rockport, Texas, received one of the state’s highest recognitions for librarians and educators across the state. The Texas Library Association (TLA) honored Larson, a former librarian and current author and consultant with the 2015 Distinguished Service Award, which salutes a librarian who demonstrates superlative leadership and provides outstanding and continuing service to the library field. </p><p>Larson’s career grew and progressed from a front line librarian to a manager and a coordinator of other librarians. Diverse in professional expertise, Larson has trained and overseen librarians and statewide programs that benefitted library users across Texas. Through her work as director of library development at the Texas State Library and Archives Commission, Larson held a pivotal role in working with public, academic, and school libraries. </p><p>Her leadership is evidenced by an idea that became the Loan Star Library program of direct aid to libraries. Following her agency work, Larson returned to the Austin Public Library (where she worked early in her career) to revamp its youth services program. </p><p>After several years, she retired from Austin Public Library but has since continued to teach, train, and support librarians and library initiatives. Today, Larson is highly sought-after for public library board membership, foundation boards, committee work, and a variety of other statewide initiatives for writers, authors, and illustrators. She has written numerous books.</p><p>A longtime member and officer of the Association, Larson has developed several programs to support fellow librarians. Along with now State Librarian Mark Smith, she created the TLA Disaster Relief Fund in 1999, which supports Texas libraries recovering from a natural disaster. Recently, she and husband Jim Larson generously donated funding to create a Mystery Fiction Award for public libraries through the Texas Library Association. </p><p>Larson received the prestigious Library Distinguished Server Award medal before thousands of her colleagues on April 15, during the Association’s annual convention held in Austin. </p><p>### About the Texas Library Association TLA is the largest state library association in the United States with almost 7,000 members who work in public, school, academic, and special libraries and who support educational institutions. TLA offers a wide range of services, including advocacy, continuing education, research, and public relations. For more information, see www.txla.org or call 512-328-1518.</p><p>3355 Bee Cave Road, Suite 401 • Austin, TX 78746-6763 • 512/328-1518 • 1-800/580-2TLA • FAX 512/328-8852 • www.txla.org</p>