Cazenovia Public Library, library director receive top awards from CLRC
The Cazenovia Public Library and its director, Betsy Kennedy, have been singled out as the best public library and best public library staff member in a four-county area of 63 library systems. The honors, handed out by the Central New York Library Resources Council (CLRC) on Oct. 4, were given after months of public voting with library users writing up to 250 words on why their libraries were the best in the region.
“It’s kind of like a people’s choice awards,” said CLRC Executive Director Debby Emerson. “We didn’t nominate these people, the users did. … This came from the people who love their libraries and want to see them recognized.”
The CLRC, one of nine Reference and Research Library Resources Councils in New York State, serves libraries and library systems in Herkimer, Madison, Oneida and Onondaga counties. The council’s mission is to empower its members by providing support, programs and advocacy, resulting in stronger libraries and communities within the region, according to its website.
Six months ago, the CLRC announced its first ever library awards program, with nominations being accepted for public library of the year, school library of the year, academic/special library of the year, public library staff all-star, school library staff all-star and academic/special library staff all-star.
According to the CPLC, nominated libraries should exhibit certain qualities in order to be considered. They should:
∙Always prepared to answer questions, be helpful and provide research assistance.
∙Offer a wide variety of programs and services that appeal to all members of the community.
∙Be active in the community.
∙Respond to the needs of the community.
∙Have convenient hours and location for users.
∙Have ease of use (finding what you need).
∙Have staff with up-to-date skills.
∙Have welcoming physical and online spaces.
∙Operate with sustainable practices.
Nominated library staff were to be recognized as an individual who routinely goes above and beyond to serve their community.
During this year’s awards voting, there were a vast number of nominations made, Emerson said, but Cazenovia, as Public Library of the Year, “received by the far the most nominations.”
The nominations for Cazenovia included references to its collections, its art gallery and cultural museum, its mummy and Egyptian collection and its outstanding staff. One nomination letter, which Emerson read during the awards ceremony, called the Cazenovia Public Library “an institution working to create a better community,” while another letter lauded Kennedy’s “obvious lover for her community and her job.”
Kennedy said one of her favorite nomination letters was written by 11-year-old Claire Braaten, who began her letter stating, “Have you ever walked into a room that immediately made all your worries melt away? That felt like you were surrounded by magic? Well that’s how Cazenovia Library makes me feel. They deserve to win Library of the Year.”
All the nomination letters were read by a three-judge panel who were “not necessarily familiar with the libraries being nominated,” Emerson said. She said the judges noticed certain trends in the nominated libraries and staff, specifically the fact that they all go above and beyond in being responsive to their communities.
“I feel grateful and humbled and proud,” Kennedy said of the Cazenovia Public Library’s award. “I always go back to the whole community involvement; the number of people in this community that help us out is incredible — I’m not sure all communities have that.”
As for her personal All-Star award, Kennedy said it was all about the staff: “My colleagues make me look good because they are so good at their jobs,” she said. “They are smart, kind, creative and really want to do the best they can.”
In addition to Cazenovia’s two awards, other CLRC library award winners included:
∙ School Library of the year — Chittenango High School Library.
∙Academic/Special Library of the Year — Upstate Medical Center Health Sciences Library.
∙School Library Staff All-Star — Julie Olmstead, Memorial Park Elementary School Library, Waterville.
∙ Academic/Special Library Staff All-Star — Olivia Tsistinas, Upstate medical center Health Sciences Library.
The Cazenovia Public Library will have a banner made proclaiming its award as Public Library of the Year that will be hung on the Lakeland Park fence and then outside the library, Kennedy said.
For more information on the Cazenovia Public Library, visit cazenoviapubliclibrary.org.
For more information on the CLRC, visit clrc.org.
