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All Awards

2020 Library Journal 5-Star Library

HCPL was recognized as a 5-Star Library by Library Journal for 2020. The Library Journal Index rates U.S. public libraries based on selected per capita output measures. The 2020 Index derives from data recently released by the Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS) for FY18. This year, 5,608 U.S. public libraries qualified to be rated in the Index. In this edition, there are 262 Star Libraries, each receiving three-Star, four-Star, or five-Star designations.

2020 Advanced Digital Literacy Skill Building Awarded By National Association of Counties (NACo)

Advanced Digital Literacy Skill Building

Awarded by the National Association of Counties

Henrico County Public Library (HCPL) sought to modernize its services and meet the needs of jobseekers with advanced digital literacy and skill-building classes in its Digital Media Labs. HCPL opened its first Digital Media Lab at the Libbie Mill Library in 2015 after piloting the concept at its Twin Hickory location. Library staff created curricula to develop digital literacy skills in applications like Adobe Creative Suite software, 3D modeling and printing, and coding while continuing to offer traditional computer classes like Microsoft Office and Internet Basics. The Varina Area Library opened in 2016 with a Digital Media Lab, and staff created applied concept classes like 3D printed crafting, video game programming, and other engaging subjects that offered an accessible entry point to learning digital skills for patrons of all ages. The new Fairfield Area Library opened in 2019 with a Digital Media Lab, and HCPL updated the Twin Hickory and Tuckahoe Area Libraries’ labs with comparable technology to the existing labs. Now all five Area Libraries, one in each magisterial district in Henrico County, provide free access to high-tech digital literacy education and digital content creation tools, removing barriers to developing digital skills.

2020 Trailblazers Wall Awarded By National Association of Counties (NACo)

Trailblazers Wall

Awarded by the National Association of Counties

The Trailblazers Wall at the Fairfield Area Library in Henrico, Virginia is an inclusive, dynamic digital history wall that showcases biographies of individuals whose lives and work had major impacts on the county, the state, and the nation. Inspired by the Supervisor of the Fairfield District, content for the wall was selected by a committee of community members knowledgeable about local history, with the goal of inspiring paths in life for young people of the Fairfield District. The resulting wall highlights many people of color and women whose historical narratives have been submerged, and demonstrates how community engagement can lead to more inclusive and valuable services in public libraries. Public response and usage patterns show that the inclusive historical display has deeply resonated with the community, and that local history has a natural home in public libraries.

2020 LGBTQIA+ Book Discussion Awarded By National Association of Counties (NACo)

LGBTQIA+ Book Discussion

Awarded by the National Association of Counties

Henrico County Public Library created the LGBTQIA+ Book Discussion Group to improve service to the LGBTQIA community. Through a combination of outreach, thoughtful planning, intentional materials selection, and flexible program design, the book discussion has established a healthy following. The book discussion group improves community engagement with the library through conversations about books with LGBTQIA authors, themes, and characters. The group’s success indicates that the library is establishing itself as a welcoming community space for members of the LGBTQIA community.

2020 Multilingual Storytimes Awarded By NACo

Multilingual Storytimes

Awarded by the National Association of Counties

Librarians at Henrico County Public Library (HCPL) leveraged personal experience, professional expertise, and a commitment to inclusive services to create storytimes for English Language Learners that meet community needs and can be conducted by staff with or without special language skills. Using rhymes and songs from his childhood, and building upon his existing knowledge through research of Pura Belpré and José-Luis Orozco, one HCPL librarian began hosting a Spanish-English bilingual storytime, Cuentos Bilingües, in 2017. Inspired by the success of Cuentos Bilingües, a librarian at HCPL’s Tuckahoe Library created a multilingual storytime, Hello!, for English Language Learning families who speak a variety of languages, though she herself is only fluent in English. Languages represented in Henrico County Public Library storytimes now reflect the diversity of the County’s residents, and multilingual storytimes have proven popular, with strong attendance and positive feedback.