DONVER-FOXCROFT — Foxcroft Academy’s head of school Arnold Shorey was recently selected as Administrator of the Year by the executive board of the Maine Association of School Libraries. He was surprised by the presentation at a May 23 staff meeting.

Nancy Grant and Tina Taggart, both MASL Board members, made the announcement. Shorey will receive a Library Media Service Award for Administrators plaque and a $500 donation to FA’s library media program made in his name.

The award is intended to honor administrators who, through individual leadership and sustained effort, have made worthy contributions to the operations of effective school library media services within the educational program. The award is also intended to recognize the responsible and influential role of the school administrator in developing successful school library media programs, and to stimulate planning, implementing, and support of school library media services.

Administrators must be nominated by a current MASL member. Foxcroft Academy Library Media Specialist Tina Taggart nominated Shorey for the award. “Arnold has shown the value of a library in hard economic times and has supported the library when it was not easy to do so,” noted Taggart. Shorey increased staffing in the library, enabling the library to stay open after school, some weekends and some Saturdays. He also supported increasing the budget for reading materials and databases for student access. One administrator is recognized each year by MASL.