The Western New York Library Resources Council has recognized the Wilson Community Library with its Outstanding Library Award.
The WNY Library Council presented five awards for excellence at its 60th annual Meeting of the Membership held at the Buffalo & Erie County Botanical Gardens in Buffalo on Sept. 22.
The awards were presented in two categories recognizing the dedication and innovation of Western New York librarians and libraries as they provided resources and assistance to their communities.
In announcing the award, the Library Council said the Wilson Community Library is a crucial fixture of its community, operating as a safe space for all ages.
The library hosts events at the local farmers market and partnered with FeedMore WNY to support food security for families and seniors. Library staff also consistently create new programming based on community needs, such as Story Makers, designed specifically to offer engagement for those with dementia and reprieve for their caregivers.
The Friends of the Library offers a scholarship to support a graduating, college-bound student.
In addition, four Excellence in Library Service Awards were announced:
• Patricia Lebrenz, Library Automation Coordinator at Erie 1 BOCES/WNYRIC, for her work mentoring school librarians across Erie County and helping them properly catalog their school library collections.
• Chelsey Lonberger, Manager of System Youth Outreach Services at Buffalo & Erie County Public Library, for her advocacy and her work in modernizing the Youth Services Department and revamping the Passport to Reading Program.
• Hadeen Stokes, Principal Collections Librarian at SUNY Erie – City Campus, for her advocacy and work mentoring students through graduation and creating innovative programming, including the Graduation Cap Decoration Program.
• Michelle Weber, School Library Media Specialist at Williamsville East High School, for her advocacy and work inspiring a love of reading in students from elementary to high school and mentoring other school librarians.
The Western New York Library Resources Council (WNYLRC) is a not-for-profit consortium of libraries and library systems serving six counties: Cattaraugus, Chautauqua, Erie, Genesee, Niagara, and Orleans.