CRANFORD — Christine Szeluga has worked as a librarian at Cranford High School since 2019.
She’s recently been named one of the recipients of The American Library Association annual “I Love My Librarian” Award. The highly prestigious award recognizes the outstanding public service contributions of librarians working in public, school, college, community college or university libraries across the country.
“It’s overwhelming,” said Szeluga, when asked how she felt about receiving the award. “Cranford is such a small town. I live in Scotch Plains and that’s a small town. I’m in the grocery store and people are congratulating me. In the school hallways, students and teachers… And social media is running wild with it.”
Szeluga truly embraces her career. She said, “I love the students. They’re so smart, so funny and so creative. I genuinely enjoy them. I love my colleagues… The opportunity to create my own programming. I had so much support. They’re so willing to go with my crazy ideas. I’m led with a bunch of ‘yeses’; it’s so rare you get to work with such a supportive administration.”
One of Szeluga’s many accomplishments at the library include securing grants to create a makerspace, local history archive and podcast studio – boosting library circulation by 300 percent.
In 2024, she led the Cranford Dixie Giants project, guiding students in researching and sharing the history of Cranford’s early 20th century all Black semi-professional baseball team through articles and podcasts. The project earned national recognition with the American Association of School Librarians’ Roald Dahl’s “Miss Honey” Social Justice Award in 2025.
“I was able to learn about the history of Cranford and its Black baseball team that was rarely talked about,” said Szeluga.
Formally working in middle school, when Szeluga came aboard with the Cranford High School library, she had to adjust. Then the country went into lockdown. But Szeluga was able to shift with the times. She created a distance learning website for students, teachers, and parents to use as a resource, used during remote learning. “Again, thankfully, administration was supportive,” she said.
Szeluga worked in libraries and education for 19 years, which helped prepare her for this position. She said, “I worked in the Brooklyn Public Library. I worked with a lot of different schools, a lot of different kids. I worked in NYC public schools. I worked in museums.”
What her background taught her was to be adaptable. “I think every other job before Cranford really molded who I am,” said Szeluga.
For anyone who wants to follow in Szeluga’s path, her advice is to definitely get as much professional development as possible. She said, “Visit as many public libraries as possible. When I’m on vacation, I visit the public library. Work on advocating for yourself. Be willing to change your plans every single day. You have to be an outgoing person. Talk to everyone. You never know who you’re going to meet or what you’re going to learn.”
Between her career and taking her two young children to their activities, Szeluga doesn’t have a lot of spare time. But when she can, she likes to cook, bake and read.
Szeluga, along with other honorees, will be formally celebrated at the “I Love My Librarian” Award Ceremony at the 2026 ALA Annual Conference in Chicago from June 25 to 29.
Photo Courtesy of Christine Szeluga
