STORY AND PHOTO BY KAREN BOSSICK

LeAnn Gelskey has been awarded the title of Idaho’s Librarian of the Year.

The director of the Hailey Public library was awarded the honor by the Idaho Library Association Scholarship and Awards Committee, which will formally present the award to her during its annual conference in October.

“The committee received numerous well-qualified applications this year, making it a difficult decision,” said Awards Committee Chair Rami Attebury. “The nomination emphasized the contributions you have made to the Idaho library community and we felt that such efforts should be recognized at the state level.”

Gelskey has worked for the Hailey Public Library since 2001. She recently presided of the Hailey Public Library’s Centennial Bash. A few years ago, she took the library through the Phoenix project where it was given a fresh, modern function and appearance within its space at the historical JC Fox Brown building.

She started the Little Free Library book houses around town and has distributed books through the Bloom summer lunch program and to prisoners in the Blaine County Jail. She launched a city-staff Souper Supper that serves dinner to the public once a month.

She assisted with a project digitizing the Mallory photograph collection that was donated to the City of Hailey by Rose and Bill Mallory. And she has mentored employees obtaining Masters’ degree training in library sciences.

Gelskey herself was the first librarian in the state of Idaho to be accredited through the American Library Association/Allied Professional Association. She’s also worked with the Idaho Library Association as co-director, overseeing the Legislative Committee during the last legislative session.

“LeAnn so deserves this honor,” said Library Board President April Macleod. “She has worked to be the best.”

“LeAnn has brought to the Hailey library such amazing energy. She has created an incredible community gathering place, as well as a progressive library for all ages,” said Geegee Lowe, who serves with the Friends of the Hailey Public Library, alongside its president Sara Baldwin

Hailey Mayor Fritz Haemmerle agreed: “Libraries are a very important community asset. LeAnn shows considerable talent and tenacity in managing the Hailey Library.”