Anneliese White, left, received her Employee of the Year award from Sterling Heights Library Director Tammy Turgeon on Jan. 20.
By: Gary Winkelman | Sterling Heights Sentry | Published February 2, 2026
STERLING HEIGHTS — Is a ravenous insect responsible for recruiting one of the city’s top-performing employees?
Strangely enough, the answer is yes. But it’s not as creepy as it sounds.
Anneliese White, public relations and programs coordinator for the Sterling Heights Public Library, was recently recognized as the city’s 2025 Full-Time Employee of the Year. She joined the library in a part-time role in 2023 after viewing a video of costumed library staffers portraying the story of “The Very Hungry Caterpillar,” a popular children’s book by Eric Carle.
“She actually told me that she applied for the position because she saw a video that Community Relations filmed … and me acting as the caterpillar,” said library Director Tammy Turgeon, who presented White with her award at the Jan. 20 City Council meeting. “She said she wanted to work in a place where staff had fun and the community felt welcome.”
A lifelong lover of libraries, White took on her full-time role in 2024 and has been making an impact ever since. A former teacher and school librarian, White, who lives in Grosse Pointe Woods with her husband, Rick, and daughter, Zara, said she feels right at home in Sterling Heights.
“When I decided to leave teaching, I knew I wanted to go into a public library,” she said. “Luckily, I had the ability to wait it out and find a job that I really wanted. When I saw the video on their Facebook page I was like, this is a fun place to work. You can tell they want to have fun.”
Now, White is the one helping produce the library’s social media videos, though that’s just a slice of her duties. In addition to public relations, she oversees the library’s busy schedule of programs, manages the Friends of the Library budget and is responsible for the Summer Reading Program, which encourages and rewards “the joy reading” for the whole community.
In a short time, her efforts have made a big impact.
“Annelise completely reorganized our Summer Reading Program,” Turgeon said during the award presentation. “She spent many hours planning and executing all of the details for this event and her hard work paid off. She generated over $5,000 in sponsorships from local businesses and the Summer Reading Program participation increased by over 70%.”
Turgeon also noted a 49% increase in library program attendance under White’s tenure and said that “even with her promotion, Anneliese is still presenting her Toddler Time programs twice a month.”
Earning the city’s top employee award is something White said she will always remember.
“It’s the honor of a lifetime for me,” she said, adding the recognition is even more meaningful because the nomination came from her colleagues. Some of her coworkers’ comments included:
– “ Anneliese displays a positive attitude in the workplace every day and strives to make improvements wherever she can. She’s a team player and includes everyone’s opinions and suggestions. No matter how full her plate is, Anneliese never hesitates to help out on desk, offer advice, or take on programming of her own. She handles it all with kindness, professionalism, and apparent ease.”
– “Anneliese has a real talent for building relationships thanks to her compassionate nature and genuine interest in the lives and well-being of those around her. Anneliese is a joy to work alongside and makes the library a better place every day.”
– “ Anneliese has made a real difference in how our library feels and functions. She consistently goes above and beyond, and she truly deserves to be recognized for her hard work and dedication.”
Upon receiving her award, White called working at the Sterling Heights Public Library “truly a joy” and praised her colleagues “who care so deeply about our community and demonstrate that commitment every day.” She said the library is “a place where everyone belongs.”
“Libraries are one of the best things a community can have,” White said just after receiving her award. “ I am incredibly honored to be here tonight and grateful to be a part of something that matters so much to so many people in our community.”
Call Staff Writer Gary Winkelman at (586) 498-1070.