PRESS RELEASE

April 29, 2015

For more information, contact:

Sara Ortiz,

Communications & Marketing Specialist

512-328-1518

Larry Justiss Recipient of the Texas Library Association’s
2015 Lifetime Achievement Award

April 14 – 17, 2015 at the Austin Convention Center

AUSTIN – April 29, 2015 – San Angelo’s former library director Larry Justiss has received the state’s top honor for library service. The Texas Library Association presented Justiss with the 2015 Lifetime Achievement Award. This award honors a librarian in recognition of exemplary career in librarianship.
Justiss retired as director of the Tom Green County Library System in San Angelo after a tenure of 38 years. An inspiring and imaginative leader, he successfully navigated political changes and worked with the public and local leaders to support the library. Through his public engagement, grassroots support turned a 50% budget cut into action that saved two branches and birthed an active Friends group.

Justiss’ vision led to automation, innovation, and renovation at the library. He brought the library its first online catalog, acquired the County’s first computers, and keeps the library at the technology forefront. His philosophy of bringing and building the best library in west Texas bore fruit, as San Angelo serves as a model statewide for contemporary, innovative, and customer-centered library services.

For 24 years, thousands of children have participated in “Read to Me” on the courthouse lawn, a program he started. Today, residents enjoy a new state of the art library created from a downtown landmark that has become a community meeting place and includes a café and book store.

Justiss encourages involvement in the state community of librarians and library supporters. He is active on the statewide front and has served on at least one committee every year since his graduation from North Texas in 1975. Justiss has long been a committed and powerful advocate for statewide support of libraries. An officer in many Association committees and groups, Justiss is renowned statewide for his sound reason, can-do attitude, and absolute commitment to better libraries and the educational opportunities for all the people they serve.

Justiss received the prestigious Lifetime Achievement Award medal and recognition before thousands of his colleagues on April 15, during the Association’s annual convention held in Austin.

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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.

3355 Bee Cave Road, Suite 401 • Austin, TX 78746-6763 • 512/328-1518 • 1-800/580-2TLA • FAX 512/328-8852 • www.txla.org