Berlin, MD, October 19, 2026 - Maryland Association of School Librarians (MASL) is pleased to announce the recipient of the 2025-2026 Maryland School Librarian of the Year award which honors a school librarian for exemplary service and outstanding achievements in the field of school library media. The final award announcement was announced at the biannual MASL Conference held in Berlin, Maryland on October 16, 2026.
Recipient of the 2026 Maryland School Librarian of the Year:
- Melaney Sanchez, Mt. Harmony Elementary School, Calvert County
Dr. Melaney Michael Sanchez is a civic?minded school librarian at Mt. Harmony Elementary who champions inquiry?driven learning and designs experiences that blend literacy, history, STEAM, and student voice. Guided by her belief that “teaching is heart work,” she works to ensure equitable access to information while empowering students to become curious researchers, critical thinkers, and engaged citizens. Her work has earned national recognition, including the Jack Miller Center Teaching America250 Award, SMECO STEM Teacher, AASL National School Library Program of the Year, The Washington Post Teacher of the Year, and Calvert County Teacher of the Year. She has shared her practice with NCSS, the National Park Service at the National Mall, the National Mall Trust, Common Ground on the Hill, MASL, and the Future Ready “Leading from the Library” podcast. She is currently a We the Teachers Fellow and a National Geographic Grosvenor Fellow.
