2025 Virginia Library Association Scholarship Winners

The VLA Scholarship Committee is pleased to announce the 2025 scholarship recipients. Congratulations to Hannah Ayers, Katie Treichler, Katherine Zinn for their academic excellence and dedication to librarianship in Virginia.

We are delighted to announce that Hannah Ayers is a 2025 VLA Scholarship Award recipient. A lifelong Virginia resident, Hannah has recognized local libraries as places of comfort and connection. Drawing inspiration from her own childhood librarian, she is creating a career in youth services that focuses on helping the next generation of children engage meaningfully with history.

At Franklin County Public Library, Hannah has advanced from Youth Services Assistant Librarian to Teen Services Senior Library Assistant, where she has grown teen programming attendance and created educational opportunities for young patrons. She has a lifelong passion for history that blossomed through visiting museums and archives throughout Virginia. Hannah hopes to instill this passion in her own patrons by scaffolding her Masters with an archival certificate and creating meaningful partnerships with archival institutions.

Hannah showed significant academic achievement as an undergraduate at Hollins University and is now pursuing a Master’s in Library and Information Science from Wayne State University. She is a creative programmer whose tactile programs are popular with children of all ages.

Congratulations, Hannah!

 We are excited to announce that Katie Treichler is a 2025 VLA Scholarship Award recipient. From a young age, Katie has been inspired by the role that libraries play in connecting patrons with knowledge and resources. Katie has demonstrated a commitment to making libraries inclusive, patron-centered spaces that promote accessibility and opportunity for everyone. 

At both Tysons-Pimmit Regional Library and Mary Riley Styles Public Library, Katie strives to make each patron feel welcome and empowered. Whether helping someone apply for jobs, assisting students with schoolwork, or simply offering a kind word, she approaches each interaction with empathy and care. Katie sees libraries as integral spaces for building community, places where trust is nurtured through small moments of connection and consistent, inclusive service.

Katie is pursuing a Master of Library and Information Science from San José State University.  Katie wants to channel her passion for libraries into a career focused on expanding access to information, mentoring future librarians, promoting accessibility, and developing impactful community programs. 

Congratulations, Katie!

We are excited to announce that Katherine Zinn is a 2025 VLA Scholarship Award recipient. Katherine has demonstrated a ready commitment to library accessibility and to highlighting the importance of libraries as unique cultural knowledge centers. 

At Virginia Tech University Libraries, Katherine works in the Special Collections and University Archives. As a project archivist, Katherine accessions and processes archival materials, while also assisting patrons at the reference desk. The whole of Katherine’s work is devoted to helping researchers find what they are looking for– whether making materials easily accessible through online access tools, or helping someone with a reference question. Katherine believes that leading with kindness and empathy is the key to building strong library communities. 

Katherine is pursuing a Master’s in  Library and Information Science from the University of Missouri. Katherine plans to focus her career on making libraries spaces that foster community and that provide accessible materials for everyone. 

Congratulations, Katherine!