Library and Information Science graduate wins national recognition

University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa
Contact:
Violet Harada, (808) 956-5814
Emerita Professor, Library and Information Science Program
Posted: Sep 12, 2014

2014 School Librarian of the Year Michelle Colte.  Photo by Dana Edmunds.
2014 School Librarian of the Year Michelle Colte. Photo by Dana Edmunds.

Michelle Colte, a librarian at Hale Kula Elementary, has been named 2014 School Librarian of the Year by School Library Journal. She graduated in 2004 with her master’s degree in library and information science from the Library and Information Science (LIS) Program at UH Mānoa.

This prestigious award honors K-12 school library professionals for outstanding achievement and exemplary use of 21st century tools and services. She was selected over 90 other nominees across the nation. Colte received a $2,500 cash award and another $2,500 worth of materials from Scholastic Library Publishing, the award’s sponsor. A panel of school librarians, journal editors and industry professionals from Scholastic Publishing and the International Society for Technology in Education judged the award nominations.

Colte is featured in a cover story in the September 2014 issue of School Library Journal. The story may be viewed online at www.slj.com/librarianoftheyear.

Among Hawaiʻi’s school librarians, Colte is widely acknowledged as a technology innovator. Last year, she was one of 50 educators worldwide selected to participate in the Google Teacher Academy held in Sydney, Australia.

Said LIS Professor Emerita Violet Harada, “Michelle is a visionary leader among Hawaiʻi’s school librarians. Her creativity and drive have inspired innovative practices. She embraces a strong commitment to her school community of students, faculty and parents; and she engages everyone in actualizing a shared dream to prepare digital citizens, who are confident, resourceful and caring human beings.”