A Short History
In 1995 a database was developed by Dr. R. Jerry Adams to provide a common source of information for K-12 teachers, students, parents, and librarians.   The U.S. Department of Education's Funds for Innovation in Education Program then sponsored maintenance of a Web site named the Schoolhouse Project that utilized the database.   After a year the sponsorship was continued through the U.S. Department of Education's OERI Program under the name of Library-in-the-Sky.   In March of 1997 a permanent home was found for the Web site under the name of Awesome Library.   See About the Awesome Library for more information about its development.

As of 2014, a number of popular search engines, such as Google, rated the Awesome Library among the top Web site on many of the key search terms that related to the Awesome Library's mission. Examples of terms that resulted in the Awesome Library having a high listing on one or more search engines include "k-12 education directory," "k-12 education library," "multicultural training," "middle east conflict why," and "sustainable planet development."   Below are some examples of linking sites and awards.

Recognitions

1. 10 Top Education Directories on Google
   Awesome Library was ranked #1 (out of 24 million) on Google for the search terms "education directory" in August of 2007.
   
   
2. 10 Top Library Sites on Google.
   Awesome Library was ranked #7 (out of 100 million) on Google for the search term "library" in January of 2007.
   
   
3. 100 Top Library Sites
   Awesome Library was ranked number 9 for all librarynWebsites in June of 2007 on "100 Top Library Sites."
   
   
4. About K-6 Educators
   Awesome Library was recommended on December 16, 2003 for K-6 Educators.
   
   
5. Alexa: Most Popular Education Directories
   Awesome Library was ranked #5 in June, 2007.
   
   
6. American Library Association Great Web Sites for Kids
   Awesome Library is one of the many resources recommended for parents, caregivers, teachers and others.
   
   
7. Anti-Bias Curriculum (Wikipedia.org)
   Awesome Library was one of eight resources recommended under "External Links."
   
   
8. Applesforhealth Golden Apple Award
   Awesome Library received the Golden Apple award in April, 2002. "Your web site has been selected for a Golden Choice Award from Applesforhealth.com, an online health magazine with linked resources to the Top 10% of sites in the health care industry and related fields."
   
   
   
   
9. Argus Clearinghouse Seal of Approval
   Awesome Library was recognized with a rating of four checkmarks under Educational Resources, K-12 in 2007. The prestigious Clearinghouse closed in 2002 and then re-opened.
   
   
   
   
10. Ask Jeeves Silver Platter Award
    Awesome Library was recognized with the Silver Platter Award in 1998. As of January of 2007, Awesome Library was "number one" in popularity for "k-12 education."
    
    
11. AskERIC Special Education Lesson Plans
    Awesome Library is one of the two recommended Web sites for Special Education lesson plans. (01-07)
    
    
12. Association for the Advancement of International Education
    Awesome Library is one of the recommended lesson plan sites. (01-07)
    
    
13. Audio Digest Foundation
    Awesome Library is one of five recommended Resource Links Related to Cultural and Linguistic Competence. (11-14)
    
    
14. Australia.edu
    Awesome Library is listed among the resources recommended. (11-14)
    
    
15. Best Bets in Education - USA TODAY
    The Awesome Library is one of three Best Bets in Education for USA TODAY for the week of July 11, 1999.
    
    
16. Best of the Web - Lesson Plan Highlights - Virtual Middle School
    The Awesome Library was one of three Mega Sites in Best of the Web in 1998. "The title says it all! This awesome resource is simple in design but bursting with lesson plan links. Grab a cup of coffee...you’re going to be there a while!."
    
    
17. Best Search Engines for Students and Teachers
    The Awesome Library was rated first of less than a dozen. (11-14)
    
    
18. B. J. Pinchbeck's Homework Helper
    Awesome Library was two of 10 recommended resources under All Subjects. "Lesson plans on all subjects...you've GOT to see this one."
    
    
19. Beacoup for Kids
    Awesome Library is one of 10 resources recommended for kids.
    
    
20. BBC Scotland Online - Pick of the Week
    Awesome Library was Pick of the Week starting March 22, 1999.
    
    
    
    
21. BioScience Links - Libraries
    Awesome Library was one of 6 resources recommended under Libraries in 1998.
    
    
22. Boston Public Schools - Educational Resources
    Awesome Library was one of 12 resources recommended under Educational Resources in 1998.
    
    
23. Brain Station - Teacher's Lounge
    "The Awesome Library - Just what it says, for teachers, students and parents." Brain Station comments were made in 1998.
    
    
24. British Columbia Teacher-Librarians' Association - Teacher-Librarian Links
    Awesome Library was one of over two dozen resources recommended. (11-07)
    
    
25. Child Welfare League of America
    Awesome Library is one of two recommended Education Resources.
    
    
26. Commonwealth of Australia - Directories of Lesson Plans
    Awesome Library is one of five directories recommended in their tutorial on using the Web.
    
    
27. Christian Teens Homework Help (About.com)
    Awesome Library is one of 14 recommended resources, along with the Library of Congress, Webster's Dictionary, Online Thesaurus, and Bartlett's Familiar Quotations.
    
    
28. Libraries and Portals (Cogito.org of Johns Hopkins University)
    Awesome Library is one of the recommended resources in January of 2007.
    
    
29. Colorado Department of Education - Educational Resources and Internet Resources
    Awesome Library was one of 24 listed sites for Educational Resources and one of 10 listed site for Internet Resources in 1998.
    
    
30. Community Learning Network - Meta-Sites for General Education
    Awesome Library is one of about 3 dozen sites recommended. (11-14)
    
    
31. Citeline Valuable Resource Award
    Citeline awarded the Awesome Library an award for excellence in providing resources in healthcare.
    
    
    
    
32. CSR-Net - Social Studies Lesson Plans
    The Awesome Library "was set up by a professional educator and recommended resources are 'kid safe,' as well as parent-relevant." This site was not functioning on October 7, 2000.
    
    
33. Cyberbee
    Awesome Library is one of four recommended "Kid Safe Search Engines." 03-07
    
    
34. Cyber-Teddy's Awesome Universal WebSite 500
    Awesome Library was recognized as one of the top 500 sites that are safe for children. 11-00
    
    
    
    
35. CyberSitter Approved
    Awesome Library is recognized as safe for children by CyberSitter. 11-00
    
    
    
    
36. Dade County Public Schools - References on the Net
    Awesome Library is one of 10 reference sources recommended.
    
    
37. Davidson Institute
    "This is an amazing website. Excellent search engine with a very useful 'star' rating system. If you are looking for an online database that you can feel confident in its safety, appropriateness, and usability...awesomelibrary.org is the one. Highly recommended." 03-07
    
    
38. Developmental Disabilities Resource Center
    Awesome Library was one of many recommended resources.
    
    
39. District 214 Web Site of the Week
    "A great place to start when searching for information. I especially like the mix of resources offered by this site - lesson plans, links, current articles, and news all on a single page. Why I have not featured this site earlier is unexplainable, it should be on every educators top 5 list." December 17, 2000.
    
    
40. Dr. Hotlist - Site of the Week
    Awesome Library was selected "Site of the Week" for the week of December 23, 2001.
    
    
41. Dr. Matrix Award for Excellence in Science
    Awesome Library was one of three dozen sites awarded for excellence under Student Resources on August 7, 1997.
    
    
    
    
    
42. Education Coffeehouse Educational Excellence Award
    
    
    Awesome Library was given this award as one of the top 100 sites in education for 2001.
43. Education Search Engines (Reference Desk)
    Awesome Library is one of 10 Education Search Engines provided.
    
    
44. Equal Access to Software and Technology - Pick of the Week
    Awesome Library was a Pick of the Week for December 16, 1997.
    
    
45. EduHound.com - Reference Libraries
    Awesome Library pages were half of the top dozen recommendations in May, 2002.
    
    
46. ERIC Clearinghouse on Teaching and Teacher Education - Lesson Plans
    Awesome Library is one of 9 recommended sites for lesson plans.
    
    
47. Education Index Top Site - by Lifestage
    Recognizes Awesome Library as a top resource for Middle Education and Secondary Education.
    
    
    
    
    
48. Education World - Teacher Resources
    Awesome Library was presented under teaching, K-12, and education resources.
    
    
49. Education World - Review
    Awesome Library was given an overall grade of "A," with a critique of organization, content, aesthetics, and review. 11-01
    
    
50. Educational Testing Service - Internet Resources for Teachers and Students
    The Awesome Library was recognized in the Arts, English, Health, P.E., Math, Science, Social Studies, German, Spanish, and History. Used the older name of "Schoolhouse" for the Awesome Library. 11-07
    
    
51. EASI's Pick of the Week (December 16, 1997)
    Equal Access to Software and Information awarded the Awesome Library as Pick of the Week for December 16, 1997.
    
    
52. Education (Termine.com)
    Awesome Library was one of the one and a half dozen resources recommended for the field of education. Others include Britannica, PBS Online, and the U.S. Department of Education. (8-01)
    
    
53. Education Related Web Sites (University of Southern Mississippi)
    Awesome Library is one of over a dozen sites recommended. (9-01)
    
    
54. Education World - Best Search Engines for Teachers and Students
    "The awesome resources of the Web deserve an Awesome Library -- and this is it!"
    
    
55. Education World - Online Libraries
    Awesome Library was one of eight recommended resources. "Awesome Library is a fantastic source for reviews of educational Web sites, from content areas and reference sources to links for everyone connected with schools -- staff, students, parents, community members." 11-07
    
    
56. Family Education Network - Links for Parents (Randall, Editor)
    Awesome Library was one of two recommended links. "The Awesome Library lives up to its name.  A must have resource link for parents, teachers, and kids.  It now lives at the top of my bookmark file.  Great site!!!" 11-07
    
    
57. Family Friendly Hot List (ZDNet's Search IQ)
    Awesome Library was one of seven sites highlighted for "Family Friendly."
    
    
58. FamilyNet - Homework
    "Awesome Library - We have yet to find a place with more school links.   It's got it all.   It's a huge Yahoo-like construction."
    
    
59. Family PC - Teacher's Pets
    Awesome Library is one of 3 sites recommended for teachers on page 105 of the June-July issue (hardcopy).
    
    
60. Forbes Best of the Web
    Awesome Library was listed as one of Forbes "Best of the Web" sites. Forbes stated that the Awesome Library is "a portal obsessed with usability. Separate 'doors' for kids, teens, parents, teachers, librarians and college students. Choose a subject and category, then scroll through the subtopics to find what's right for you. A click on Social Studies led to 12 sections, including Current Events and Economics. You'll get more options as you drill down: Current Events has 19 subtopics, including Environment, Homeland Security and Technology. The site provides links to articles, news, projects and suggestions, such as what individuals can do about global warming. The Awesome Library screens and annotates all of the sites it links to and has a site and path map, so you always know where you are." (11-07)
    
    
61. Fresno County Public Library
    Awesome Library is listed as one of five recommended sites for General Homework Help.
    
    
62. Furguson Municipal Public Library
    Awesome Library is listed as one of six recommended sites for General Homework Help. (11-14)
    
    
63. Curriculum Resources (K-12)(Harvard Graduate School of Education)
    Awesome Library was one of 15 recommended resources. (9-01)
    
    
64. Geneseo - Attention Deficit Disorder
    Awesome Library was one of 4 recommended resources. "For an absoultely terrific and informative site concerning discussions, papers, support groups, parenting tips, teaching tips, and tons more, click here! An all-inclusive site with a plethora of information!" (11-07).
    
    
65. Google's Kids and Teens Directories
    Awesome Library is rated in pagerank order as number 8. (01-07)