Author Donates Book Royalties to Local School District for Scholarships

Sharon Coatney, former Blue Valley educator, has given $1,000.00 today to the Blue Valley School District in honor of Ruth Bell, former Director of Libraries for the District and consummate leader. The money is to be earmarked for two $500.00 scholarships to be awarded to two school librarians in the District to use to attend the national conference of the American Association of School Librarians, October 27-30 in Minneapolis in order to enhance their leadership skills. Mrs. Coatney was the school librarian at Oak Hill Elementary School in Blue Valley from 1987-2002. She is a past president of the American Association of School Librarians, and of the Kansas Association of School Librarians and was a Councilor at Large of the American Library Association for 8 years. The moneys given are taken from the royalties from her latest book, The Many Faces of School Library Leadership, (Libraries Unlimited, 2010) which is dedicated to her mentor and friend, Ruth Bell. She states that, "Leadership skills are of vital importance to the role of the school librarian in enhancing and enabling student learning in their schools." 


Currently, Sharon Coatney is the Sr. Acquisitions Editor, Linworth/Libraries Unlimited, both imprints of ABC-CLIO.