We are absolutely delighted to share that the Labor Archives of Washington has been honored with the 2025 RUSA John Sessions Memorial Award from the American Library Association's Reference and User Services Association.
This marks the third time receiving the Sessions award from this community of professional peers, having previously been recognized in 2013 and 2021 - a testament to the LAW team's service commitment.
About the Award:
Established in 1980, the RUSA John Sessions Memorial Award recognizes a library or library system which has made a significant effort to work with the labor community and by doing so has brought recognition to the history and contribution of the labor movement to the development of the United States. Such efforts may include outreach projects to local labor unions; establishment of, or significant expansion of, special labor collections; initiation of programs of special interest to the labor community; or other library activities that serve the labor community.
The Team:
• Conor Casey (Head, Labor Archives)
• Eulalie Mathieu (Preservation & Museum Specialist)
• Ernie Dornfeld (Processing Technician)
The American Library Association recognized the Labor Archives of Washington for:
- Accessibility leadership - Creating new exhibits AND migrating legacy content to our multilingual platform
- Innovative workflows - Using AI + human expertise to caption nearly 200 oral histories
- Community connection - Bringing labor history to wider audiences
Committee notes:
"The Labor Archives' work is both inspiring and reflects unwavering dedication to the labor community."
From the LAW team:
"We're deeply honored by this recognition of our shared commitment to preserving labor and social justice history. From ADA-compliant exhibits to transcribed oral histories, we're proud to make these stories accessible to all. Thank you to everyone who supports this important work!"
[