The SATL Distinguished School Librarian Award recognizes one South Dakota school library professional each year whose leadership, professional practice, and impact exemplify exceptional school librarianship.
The School Achievement Through Libraries (SATL) Award recognizes exemplary school library programs. The SATL Distinguished School Library Professional Award builds upon that recognition by honoring the individual professional behind an outstanding school library.
Each year's SATL Award recipients are eligible for consideration. The recipient is selected based on evidence of professional leadership, impact on students and learning, program excellence and innovation, collaboration, professional growth, and overall contribution to the school community.
The award celebrates the many ways exceptional school library professionals make a difference, not only through the programs and services they provide, but through the relationships they build, the leadership they demonstrate, and the role they play in creating a stronger school community.
Ultimately, the award seeks to recognize a school librarian whose work serves as an inspiring example of the impact and possibilities of exceptional school librarianship in South Dakota.
About our 2026 Recipient:
Claire Nehring, librarian at St. Joseph's Indian School in Chamberlain, was selected as the inaugural recipient of the SATL Distinguished School Librarian Award in 2026.
For the past ten years, Claire has built a library program that is creative, collaborative, culturally responsive, and deeply centered on students. The library is a favorite class for students in grades 1-8, where Claire helps students develop skills in reading, research, digital citizenship, evaluating sources, copyright, fair use, creativity, and ethical sharing of information.
Claire intentionally weaves culture and innovation throughout her program. She centers student identity, elevates Native voices, and creates opportunities for students to connect their learning in the library with the world around them. Her flexible library spaces, responsive collections, collaborative displays, and creative learning experiences invite students to explore, create, and see themselves as capable learners.
One example of Claire's innovative approach is Flight Path, a collaborative project that brought together science, math, art, ELA, and Lakota skills as students worked to help protect birds on the St. Joseph’s Indian School campus. Her work consistently demonstrates what can happen when a school librarian looks beyond the traditional boundaries of the library and creates meaningful opportunities for students to learn.
Claire is also committed to her own professional growth. She earned her Teaching Certificate with Library Endorsement in 2023 and has continued to seek opportunities to learn, connect, and strengthen her practice, including regular participation in professional learning through the South Dakota State Library.
Claire's work reflects the heart of distinguished school librarianship: a belief in students, a commitment to learning, a willingness to innovate, and a library program that is an integral part of the school community.
The South Dakota State Library is honored to recognize Claire Nehring as the first recipient of the SATL Distinguished School Librarian Award.
Scottie Bruch