Highlights of Sullivan's career include President of ALA's Children's Services Division (now the Association for Library Service to Children – ALSC) (1976–1977), Chair Centennial Celebration of the American Library Association (1976), assistant commissioner for extension services at the Chicago Public Library (1977–1981), ALA president (1980–1981), ALA executive director (1992–1994), Dean of the LIS Program at Rosary College (now Dominican University), Dean of the College of Professional Studies at Northern Illinois University, and numerous university teaching positions.

This project had great national impact on convincing the public of the need for high quality school library media programs.

This award is presented annually to an individual who has shown exceptional understanding and support of public library service to children while having general management/supervisory/administrative responsibility that has included public library service to children in its scope.

[5][6] She was nominated in recognition of over 50 years of dedicated librarianship during which she wrote the definitive scholarly history of the tenure of Carl Milam (ALA secretary 1920–1946) and the growth of the American Library Association to an international organization.

"[5] Sullivan was the only honorary member to have a giant image of her book on a parking garage in the Kansas City Library District.