In 2022, with funding from ALA’s American Rescue Plan: Humanities Grants for Libraries program, Santana launched the exhibition “Transnational Dominican Activism: Documenting Grassroots Social Movements,” which showcased activism by the Dominican population in New York, Santo Domingo, and Santiago between 2009 and 2020. And in 2023, he collaborated with another professor to secure an ALA Building Library Capacity Grant to support the BCC Reads initiative, a campuswide common book program that aimed to bring attention to challenged books such as Toni Morrison’s The Bluest Eye.
“Professor Nelson Santana represents the very best of what a modern librarian can be—innovative, inclusive, scholarly, and deeply committed to student success,” his nominators wrote. “His work has not only enhanced our library’s resources and services but has also elevated the academic experience for our entire college community.”
Santana was selected from nearly 1,300 nominations from library users nationwide for the 2025 award. As part of his award, he 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.
Proud Sponsor of the ALA Public Supporter Program
American Library Association • 225 N Michigan Ave, Suite 1300 • Chicago, IL 60601
