Analine Lisa Johnson
School Library Media Specialist
Johnson High School 9th Grade Campus, United Independent School District
Laredo, Texas
The impact that library media specialist Analine Johnson has on students in the United Independent School District in Laredo, Texas, can be summarized in the testimonial of one student: “The library became my safe space. Mrs. Johnson gave me the courage to believe in myself.”
For two and a half decades, Johnson has been supporting and building futures for at-risk readers and students in need, particularly those who face poverty or language barriers. She has helped raise more than $20,000 for her school to assist students from low-income backgrounds purchase their first books and become more confident in class. And to support recent immigrants and emerging bilingual students, Johnson created an after-school literacy program to help them better understand the English language.
In Cielito Lindo Park across the street from her school’s campus, Johnson also spearheaded the addition of a “Lil Library Box,” a large, enclosed bookshelf with a trove of books that she maintains along with student helpers. A collaboration with the school, district councilmembers, and the Laredo Parks and Recreation Department, the colorful Lil Library Box encourages children to read during the summer months, with a prime location within walking distance of multiple district campuses. It’s also a dream realized for Johnson to help kids build their own home libraries.
“Analine Johnson is a librarian who changes lives,” her nominators wrote. “She has built libraries that are more than just spaces for books—they are places where dreams are nurtured, confidence is built, and futures are shaped.”
Johnson was selected from nearly 1,300 nominations from library users nationwide for the 2025 award. As part of her award, she will receive a $5,000 cash prize as well as complimentary registration and a travel stipend to attend ALA's LibLearnX event in Phoenix.
The I Love My Librarian Award is sponsored by the Carnegie Corporation of New York, with additional support from the New York Public Library, and is administered by the American Library Association. Since 2008, library users have shared more than 24,000 nominations detailing how librarians have gone above and beyond to promote literacy, expand access to technology, and support diversity and inclusion in their communities.