SHUTESBURY — The perseverance demonstrated by Shutesbury librarian Mary Anne Antonellis is earning her national recognition from the American Library Association. Her many years in the leadership role led to the opening of a new town library earlier this year and a move from the cramped quarters of a 1902 building.
Antonellis last week was named the 2026 winner of the “Lemony Snicket Prize for Noble Librarians Faced with Adversity,” following her nomination by the Friends of the Shutesbury Library and the town’s elected library trustees.
In selecting Antonellis as this year’s recipient through the national competition, the association states that it recognizes her “unwavering commitment to her community and resilience in the face of challenges.”
The award references the setbacks on the way to getting the new library built at 66 Leverett Road, including the 2012 loss of a major library construction grant when a divided community narrowly rejected the spending. Despite that, Antonellis, who began her service in early 2008, continued to grow library services from the tiny M.N. Spear Memorial Library, a building which has no running water, and to gain strong community support that led to the eventual building project.
Antonellis said she loves being director of the Shutesbury Public Library and describes being “tickled pink” to be honored with the prize.
“With the full support of our community, I’ve had the opportunity to be both creative and innovative, and it has been an honor to take part in the collective effort to build a new library for our town and surrounding area,” Antonellis said. “This community was determined to make that dream a reality, and together we worked with creativity and joy to achieve it.”
In the four full months the new library has been open, circulation has increased by 75%, proving its worth to the community, Antonellis said.
“I hope our success and this recognition can serve as inspiration for other communities working toward building libraries of their own,” she adds.
The national association also issued a statement from author Daniel Handler, who wrote the children’s book series “A Series of Unfortunate Events” under his pen name Lemony Snicket. They credited the following statement to Mr. Snicket:
“On days when it feels like every worthwhile structure in the world is collapsing, Mary Anne Antonellis will remind me that with persistence and imagination will bring noble and new structures to our communities.”
Adding that she has I have always loved children’s literature, and “A Series of Unfortunate Events,” in particular.
“The resilience of the Baudelaire orphans, their intellect and ingenuity in the face of relentless challenges, is inspiring,” she said.
Others in Shutesbury have praised Antonellis.
“Mary Anne is so deserving of this award and we are delighted that she was selected,” said Kate Cell, who co-chairs the trustees.
The comments made by Select Board member Rita Farrell when the library grand opening was held in January also reflect the support Antonellis received in town.
“Building a library was not a task for the faint of heart, but Mary Anne brought to it a tenacity, hard work, and a vision that kept us going for the many years it took to pull it all together,” Farrell said. “Mary Anne has a remarkable gift for rallying the troops, making lasagna, raising money, and navigating the permitting and construction of a multi-million-dollar building. All of this on top of her full-time position running the M.N. Spear Library, where she nurtured a love of books and reading in both kids and adults.”
The award, which comes with a $10,000 cash prize, a certificate and a “symbolic object from Snicket’s private stash,” has been presented since 2014, and funding for it comes from Sandler, who spoke again in his pen name:
“It is Mr. Snicket’s hope, and the ALA’s, that the Snicket Prize will remind readers everywhere of the joyous importance of librarians and the trouble that is all too frequently unleashed upon them.”
