Francie Aley High School Librarian Francie Aley, Maine School Library Media Specialist Of The Year,stands in front of a video screen showing the opening page of the library's web site, BRHS Information Retrievers. (Photo Kevin Burnham)

Boothbay Region High School Librarian Francie Aley is the 2002 Walter J. Taranko School Library Media Specialist of the Year, as presented by the Maine Association of School Libraries.

Aley, who was nominated for the award by two of her co-workers, English teacher Carol McKenna and science teacher Sherrie Hersom, was presented the award Sunday, May 5 at the Maine Libraries Spring Conference held at the Augusta Civic Center, May 5-7. Present for the award presentation were BRHS Principal and BRHS Assistant Principal Jack Tourtillotte and Mary Patrick, German teacher Ragnhild Baade and one of Aley's sons.

Aley was completely surprised when she found out about her award Tuesday, April 30.

"I didn't have a clue," said Aley on Friday. "I want to personally thank my fellow professionals who put my name in as a nominee. I am truly honored, as there are many well-known and highly-regarded librarians who have won the award."

Aley has been a school librarian for 30 years, the past 11 years at BRHS. Before coming to the region, she worked 20 years at the elementary and middle school level in schools in Vermont, New Hampshire, Massachusetts and New Jersey. She received her master's degree in school library sciences from Simmons College in 1972.

"When I began here [at BRHS] 11 years ago, we had no computers," said Aley. "And the first one we got was used for card cataloging and book check-out."

Since then, the entire school has been wired for the Internet, Aley has developed an award-winning library media center and school web site (home.gwi.net/brhs/), she has taught hundreds of local students as well as the high school faculty the ins and outs of the World Wide Web, web site research and development in addition to library and research skills, and she has been very involved in the Maine Association of School Libraries and other library organizations.

Aley said her goal has been "to teach information literacy to all students so that, upon graduation, they will be capable of locating, evaluating, selecting and using authoritative, valid information efficiently and effectively throughout their lives."

At Sunday's ceremony, Aley received a Media Specialist of the Year plaque and a $250 donation to the BRHS media program in honor of the recipient. A subsequent presentation of the award will be made to Aley at BRHS by the MASL president at a later date.

The award is named for the Media Service Coordinator at the Maine State Library, Walter J. Taranko, who inspired school librarians all over the state to provide better programs for their students and faculties.

"This school and region has been a wonderful place to be," said Aley. "They've supported the library and the technology curriculum very well."