Local teacher-librarian wins national award

By ZACHARY ROMAN

Local Journalism Initiative Reporter

Caledon Central Public School's teacher-librarian has been recognized for her outstanding contributions to the profession. 

Jennifer Brown, a teacher-librarian and guidance counsellor at Caledon Central, has won Canadian School Libraries' (CSL) 2025 Angela Thacker Memorial Award. 

The award was established in 2001 and honours teacher-librarians who have made contributions to the profession through publications, research, productions, or other professional development activities that deal with topics relevant to teacher-librarianship.

Brown said it was a really wonderful honour to receive the award and that she was quite surprised when she learned she'd won it. 

“I had no idea that two of my colleagues had nominated me,” she said. “You don't do it for the recognition, but it's nice when your years of work are recognized.”

Brown said across Canada, funding for school libraries has decreased over the past 40 years and that some school boards don't even have libraries in their schools. She said winning the award has given her the opportunity to advocate for school libraries. 

“I love the work I'm doing [at Caledon Central] and this is what every student should have access to,” said Brown. 

Caledon Central's school library is an inclusive and welcoming place for all students to learn and play. Brown said she and other Caledon Central staff have worked hard to transform the space and make it somewhere students can truly feel is theirs. 

“It's about books, play and learning, but it's also about things like wellness and finding a quiet place for a student who might be having a stressful moment,” said Brown of Caledon Central's school library. “We've worked really hard to make sure kids know we will find ways to accommodate whatever they need in this space.”

Brown said working as a teacher-librarian is a privilege and she's happy she gets to connect with students in all grades. 

“It's such a gift… my job is to make sure this space is here for students and to make it everything they need it to be,” said Brown.