Fay B. Kaigler Children's Book Festival
Scholarships at the Festival
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We are currently accepting nominations for the 2024 Kaigler-Lamont Award and the Richard Peck Scholarship.
The Kaigler-Lamont Award is awarded each year to a children’s or school librarian for distinguished accomplishments in promoting children’s reading in Mississippi schools and public libraries. The award is presented annually at The University of Southern Mississippi School of Library and Information Science Fay B. Kaigler Children’s Book Festival.
The winner of the Kaigler-Lamont Award receives:
- Recognition at the 2025 Fay B. Kaigler Children's Book Festival
- Plaque
- $500 honorarium
- $500 honorarium to purchase books for their library
2025 nominations are due February 17, 2025.
2025 Kaigler-Lamont Nomination Form
Richard Peck Scholarship Information
1998- Mattie Rials, Children’s Librarian, Pike-Amite-Walthall Public Library System, McComb
1999- Lawana Cummings, Library Media Specialist, St. Martin East Elementary, Ocean Springs and Charjean Graves, Library Media Specialist, William Jones Elementary School, Hattiesburg
2000- Sybil Hanna, Children’s Librarian, Jackson Hinds County Public Library, Jackson
2001- Sherry Donald, Library Media Specialist, Oxford Elementary School, Oxford
2002- Linda E. Sikes, Library Media Specialist, Beechwood Elementary School, Vicksburg
2003- Gerrie Ann Weldon, Library Media Specialist, Bayou View Elementary School, Gulfport
2004- Vickie Ross, Branch Manager of the Okolona Carnegie Library in the Dixie Regional Library System
2005- Victoria Penny, Youth Services Coordinator at the First Regional Library System
2006- Carol Phares, Assistant Director and Children’s Librarian, Pearl River County Library System
2007- Ramona Barrett, Children’s Librarian, Clarksdale Public Library
2008- Sally James, Children’s Librarian, Pass Christian Public Library
2009- Linda Perez, Elementary Librarian, Madison Station Elementary
2011- Faye Harris Bruce, Library and Media Specialist, Saltillo Elementary School
2012- Dianne Butler, Library and Media Specialist, Magee Middle School
2013- Elizabeth Turner, Children's Specialist, Madison Public Library
2014- Tracey H. Crawford, School Librarian, Mendenhall Elementary
2015- Kathie Ward, Branch Manager, Harrisville Public Library
2016- Becky Smith, Librarian, Purvis Upper Elementary School
2017- Nettie Moore, Youth Specialist, M.R. Davis Public Library
2018- Venetia Oglesby, Head Librarian, New Hope Elementary School
2019- Jennifer Baker, Library Media Specialist, Spann Elementary School
2020- Beckie Nieman, Librarian, North Pike Elementary School
2021- Connie Robinson, Oxford School District, and Loraine Walker, Starkville Public LIbrary
2022- Otha Keys, South Jones High School
2023- Becky Bowen, Madison County Library System
2024- Macallister Jackson, Bellevue Elementary