National library organization recognizes Douglas Librarian Amy Dodson with courage award

Douglas County Librarian Amy Dodson received the 2021 American Library Association Paul Howard Award for Courage for her effort to include #BlackLivesMatter in a diversity statement that prompted a demonstration and counter demonstration Aug. 8, 2020, in Minden.

Dodson is the scheduled speaker at Thursday’s virtual meeting of the Douglas County Democrats.

The Zoom meeting can be located at www.douglasdems.org.

The award, which “honors individuals who have exhibited courage for the benefit of library programs or services in the face of adversity,” will be presented virtually on June 27.

It includes a $1,000 check and a gold-framed citation.

According to the announcement of Dodson’s award, “Dodson and DCPL made national news in July 2020 after she and her staff drafted a statement of solidarity with– openly denouncing racism and racial inequality – and posted it to the library’s social media.”

The library took down the diversity statement from social media and placed it on the library board’s agenda. A letter submitted to the library board by Douglas County Sheriff Dan Coverley was widely distributed and resulted in a social media argument that brought around 1,000 demonstrators to Minden, with the vast majority supporting the sheriff.

The library board never approved the diversity statement and instead approved a third-party investigation into how the statement wound up on the agenda.

That investigation found no violation of library policies or laws when it was released in December.

“Amy Dodson faced months of adversity and danger with a steadfast commitment to her principles and to the goals set forth by her library. She has demonstrated rare and powerful courage.” said Assistant director of Catherwood Library Jim DelRosso in his nomination letter.