July 5, 2017
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Robyn Truslow
410-535-0291
Calvert Library Board of Trustees President, Martha Grahame, accepted the Marion Sattherthwaite Award for Library Advocacy at the 2017 Maryland Library Association (MLA) Conference in Cambridge, Maryland. This award, given by the Citizens for Maryland Libraries, is presented to a person who “demonstrates a history of effort and commitment that has fostered and sustained library advocacy in Maryland.” The award is named for Marion Sattherthwaite who was an exemplary library advocate. According to nominator Patricia Hofmann, retired director of Calvert Library, “Martha brings skill and diplomacy to policy and advocacy conversations that bring positive change for Calvert County and Maryland.”
Martha Grahame has been an effective state and local library advocate for over twenty years. She maintains excellent relationships with elected officials at the county, state and federal levels. According to Sharan Marshall, director of the Southern Maryland Regional Library Association, Martha was instrumental in getting library per-capita funding increases signed into Maryland law. She is highly respected in Calvert County and across the state, and she takes every opportunity to talk about the role of the public library as the hub of strong communities. Martha cares deeply about the tremendous opportunities for lifelong learning provided by libraries and consistently recognizes the extraordinary staff of Calvert Library, and librarians across the state.
Martha has served in every volunteer position at Calvert Library, usually in a leadership role. She is currently the President of the Board of Library Trustees, on which she has served multiple terms. She is the Treasurer of the Calvert Library Foundation and President of the Friends of Calvert Library. In addition, she volunteers on a frequent basis for the library. Her contacts through other volunteer work at All Saints Episcopal Church and the Calvert Nature Society give her many opportunities to promote the library. Her gifts to the library come in the form of time, money and advocacy.
According to Martha, she is “a true believer in the power of public libraries to transform individuals and communities.” She is proud to have brought her grandchildren and great-grandchildren to Calvert Library for storytime classes and to take advantage of the many other opportunities available. Martha has also engaged her daughter, Martha Hyde, to be the Art in the Stacks volunteer for Calvert Library Prince Frederick. At any given library, Friends or Foundation event, there are generally at least three members of her family if not the whole crowd in attendance showing their support. Martha herself participates regularly in library conversations designed to build community and bring people together. She attends library conferences and trainings to be in a continual state of learning more about what it takes to make a library and by extension, her community, great.
Current Calvert Library Director Carrie Plymire, another strong library advocate, said, “The Sattherthwaite Award is a very prestigious award, and I was delighted when it was announced that our library icon, Martha Grahame, was receiving it. She is a true role model for advocates everywhere, and it has been such a pleasure to work with her and learn from her.”
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Robyn Truslow
Public Relations Coordinator
Calvert Library
850 Costley Way
Prince Frederick, MD 20678
410-535-0291
410-535-3022 (fax)
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