The Southport High School Instructional Media Center has been selected to
receive the Indiana Library Federation (ILF) 2020 “Everyone Counts” Award.
The ILF “Everyone Counts” Award honors and recognizes any personal or institutional
member who or that has demonstrated commitment to equity, diversity, and inclusion
in policies, practices, programs, and/or initiatives.
The Southport High School Instructional Media Center strives to serve all of the 2400+
students and 150+ staff that belong to the Southport Cardinals family. The school
library welcomes everyone to share diverse stories and create a safe haven for
independent thinkers to think, create, share, and grow in their ever-changing world.
Tara Foor (MLS, Indiana University) currently serves as the school library media
specialist since 2014 and attempts to chronicle the adventures in the library on Twitter
at @SopoIMC.
The Southport High School Library is recognized for the statewide award based on the
many activities that help all feel welcome and to grow in their understanding of others.
The Library hosts the Cultures of Southport festival which provides insights into the
lives of the diverse student body in the school and neighborhood. In the library, you
may find students sharing their immigration and ancestry stories on Giant Maps from
National Geographic, studying aspects of science and space through NASA resources,
conversing with local authors, and so much more.
Fellow faculty share how Ms. Foor makes the library the welcoming and learning hub for
students of all abilities and backgrounds. A parent and school board member describes
how the library makes an impact through its monthly book club, #SopoReads, by
exposing students to diverse literature, and through its community programming for
activities related to holidays, distressing, or different cultures. Southport High School
Instructional Media Center is recognized or its outstanding efforts to help “everyone
count.”
About: Indiana Library Federation is the statewide nonprofit association for academic, public, school, and special
libraries and the staff and volunteers who support them. Indiana Library Federation advances libraries for the
future through professional development, awards, programs, member services, and advocacy. Award winners are
recognized in conjunction with the ILF Annual Conference, this year held virtually Nov. 17-18, 2020.