Louisville Free Public Library wins first place in national industry award
Metro Louisville recognized as a community “aware” of what the library can do for it
LOUISVILLE, Ky. (March 28, 2016) – The Louisville Free Public Library (LFPL) and Metro Louisville have been named the first place recipient of the 2016 LibraryAware Community Award given by Library Journal and underwritten by LibraryAware™, a product of the NoveList division of EBSCO Information Services. The award recognizes communities that engage with their libraries to improve the lives of their citizens and create lifelong learners and library users. LibraryAware Product Manager Nancy Dowd and Library Journal Editorial Director Rebecca Miller were on hand to present Mayor Greg Fischer and Library Director Jim Blanton with the award and a $10,000 check.
The LibraryAware Community Award recognizes a library system that has demonstrated its ability to engage with its community and make citizens “aware” of what the library can do for them. The Louisville Free Public Library was judged to be a model of this goal as a leader in improving the overall literacy of the community, from children to adults, and supporting lifelong learning for residents. Through a deep awareness of community needs, collaborating with partners and innovative programming, LFPL provides the residents of Louisville with broad access to knowledge, ideas, and information to support them in their pursuit of learning at all stages of life.
“It’s critical for the future of our city that our citizens embrace lifelong learning so they can reach their full human potential,” said Mayor Fischer. “And our great and award-winning Louisville Free Public Libraries help them do that every single day.”
“The Louisville Free Public Library works with stakeholders to identify and address areas of need,” said the Library’s Director of Education Julie Scoskie. “Our commitment to improve literacy and support lifelong learning has been formalized using the Public Libraries United with Schools (PLUS) brand. In addition, offering fun, recreational programming and building community with interactive programs like the How-to Festival and Living Library, expands our appeal to the public.”
The Louisville Free Public Library leads collaborative efforts to help meet the educational needs of the community. In support of the Jefferson County Public Schools (JCPS) 3rd Grade Reading Pledge, the Library received a 149,000 book donation and partnered with Metro United Way and JCPS to provide every student in grades K-3 their own books to take home and encouraged them to enroll in the Share 100 Stories before 4th Grade program. In response to low kindergarten-readiness scores in 2014, the Library – with support from the Community Foundation of Louisville and the Library Foundation – launched the 1000 Books before Kindergarten Challenge, reaching more than 18,000 children. Last summer, more than 51,000 of the Mayor’s Cultural Passes were distributed – largely through the Library – enabling families to enjoy cultural venues free of charge during the summer.
More than 600 adults have enrolled in the nationally replicated Code Louisville training partnership (provided by KentuckianaWorks with LFPL’s support), and 70 families are enrolled in the new Family Education/GED program at the Library. And more than 30,500 children and teens completed the Library’s 2015 Summer Reading Program – reading more than 290,000 books when school was out!
“We know our students benefit from a strong public library system, said Jefferson County Public Schools Superintendent Dr. Donna Hargens. “Our community libraries are hubs of activity for JCPS students. For students without access to technology at home – the library is where they come to do homework and research a project. And while our students are here doing homework or participating in an activity – they might just see a book that sparks their interest. And thanks to the library, each JCPS student has a library card so he or she can check out that book and take it home.”
The LibraryAware Community Award is given annually to a community of any size and its library. The Louisville Free Public Library and its community partners will be featured on the cover of the April issue of Library Journal.
About Louisville Free Public Library The Louisville Free Public Library is the largest library system in Kentucky—comprised of 18 branch locations—serving more than three million visitors per year and 368,000 card holders countywide. For more than a century LFPL has worked to provide the people of Metro Louisville with the broadest possible access to knowledge, ideas and information and to support them in their pursuit of learning at all stages of life.
About EBSCO Information Services
EBSCO Information Services (EBSCO) is the leading discovery service provider for libraries worldwide with more than 10,000 discovery customers in over 100 countries. EBSCO Discovery Service™ (EDS) provides each institution with a comprehensive, single search box for its entire collection, offering unparalleled relevance ranking quality and extensive customization. EBSCO is also the preeminent provider of online research content for libraries, including hundreds of research databases, historical archives, point-of-care medical reference, and corporate learning tools serving millions of end users at tens of thousands of institutions. EBSCO is the leading provider of electronic journals & books for libraries, with subscription management for more than 360,000 serials, including more than 57,000 e-journals, as well as online access to more than 800,000 e-books. For more information, visit the EBSCO website at: www.ebsco.com. EBSCO Information Services is a division of EBSCO Industries Inc., a family owned company since 1944.
About Library Journal Founded in 1876, Library Journal is one of the oldest and most respected publications covering the library field. Over 75,000 library directors, administrators, and staff in public, academic, and special libraries read LJ.Library Journal reviews over 8000 books, audiobooks, videos, databases, and web sites annually, and provides coverage of technology, management, policy, and other professional concerns. For more information, visit www.libraryjournal.com.Library Journal is a publication of Media Source Inc., which also owns School Library Journal, The Horn Bookpublications, and Junior Library Guild.
