Berks County Public Libraries hosts 16th annual Awards Celebration
Awards honored outstanding library services, individuals and organizations for support and contributions to libraries in Berks
Berks County Public Libraries hosted the 16th Annual Awards Celebration at its headquarters in Leesport on Feb. 21.
Kutztown, Fleetwood, Bethel Tulpehocken, Muhlenberg, and Hamburg libraries brought home awards, as did individuals and community organizations.
The Dreisbach Award for Exemplary Service went to Pam Hilbert and Vicki Steinberg for their dedication to the Book Bonanza, a fundraiser that has raised $1.5 million for the Berks County Library System.
Janet Yost, Director of the Kutztown Community Library, received the Outstanding Library Director Certification of Merit, nominated by Melissa Adams, director of the Muhlenberg Library.
“Janet will always lend advice about dealing with challenging situations.” Adams says. “Most recently she’s been one of the library directors who created the new library director’s manual, which is a document aimed to assist directors, especially new directors.”
The Kutztown Community Library won the Outstanding Fundraising Effort Award for its HATCH campaign which stands for Heating, Air, & Technology Campaign for Help. The library created the program to help raise matching funds to fix the heating, ventilation, and air condition throughout the building of the library. HATCH included programs such as chicken story time, chicken coloring pages and much more. Patrons who donated re-
ceived a “golden egg” and a chance to win a gift card from a local business.
Mary Laub from Kutztown Community Library received the Trustee of the Year Award. Laub is known for starting the “1+1 = 2” funding campaign and the creation of the Memorial Giving Tree. The library is able to raise money thanks to both programs that Laub started.
Dave Beard and Carol Gardecki won Certificates of Merit, Beard for his work with the Book Bonanza, and Gardecki for her contributions to Spring Township Library, West Lawn branch, always willing to help in any aspect of the library system.
Muhlenberg Township Commissioner Steve Wolfinger received the Elected Official Award for sharing news of the library to the board of Commissioners. Wolfinger also volunteers to be a part of the library.
“He doesn’t just talk the talk, he walks the walk,” said Chris Daubert, a member of the BCPL Board of Directors.
Outstanding Program of the Year was presented to five winners: Escape the Library, Spring Township Library, West Lawn branch; Fleetwood Kids Give Back, Fleetwood Area Public Library; Health & Wellness Fair, Muhlenberg Community Library; Highland Strong, Kutztown Community Library; Teen Club: Nerf Wars, Bethel-Tulpehocken Public Library; and Honorable Mention: Opioid Crisis Program, Reading Public Library.
Fleetwood Area High School won the Outstanding Community Organization Award recognizing the Future Business Leaders of America’s involvement at Fleetwood Area Public Library. The group of high school students decided to do their service project through the Fleetwood Area Public Library. Through programs and fundraisers, such as Adopt a Shelf, Tech Classes, Zumbathon, and much more, the FBLA was not only able to raise money for their own organization but to also bring new people to the library. Fleetwood Area Public Library has seen an increase in new library cardholders since FBLA started their program.
Keystone Villa of Fleetwood was presented the Outstanding Local Business Award. The Villa works together with the library to bring resources and programs to the Maidencreek Township. Through programs such as health fairs, history lectures, and PreSchool Story time they are opened doors for people who cannot travel the distance to the library.
Janet Keener, Friends
of the Hamburg Public Library, won the Linda Baer Friend of the Year Award. Keener was essential to helping Hamburg with their book sale. She helped organize the books by subject to help keep them in order and relocated the sale to the Hamburg High School to hold the annual sale.
The Kutztown Community Library was presented with the Chet Hagan Memorial Public Relations Award. Through social media, posters, newsletters and e-Newsletters, the Library prides itself on its efforts to create new and interesting public relations campaigns. The library uses resources such as a Graphic Design employee and a Writing Intern to make sure their PR is the best that it can be. The library has previously won this award in 1998, 2007, 2012 and 2015. This award includes a $500 cash prize sponsored by the County
Commissioner’s appropriation and the Friends of the BCPL and a trophy featuring a golden hen. The golden hen is used to reflect on how a hen “clucks” to others about its freshly lain eggs.
For more information visit www.berkslibraries.org/16th-annual-awards.