The Stories Behind the NACo Awards
Henrico County Public Library (HCPL) was recently honored to receive three National Association of Counties (NACo) Achievement Awards. The accolades were part of Henrico County’s overall total of 48, which is the most of any county in Virginia for the 20th consecutive year, and the eighth most in the country for 2024.
NACo Achievement Awards highlight innovative county government programs that focus on improving services and strengthening communities. They often celebrate collaborations with other County departments and community organizations. The criteria recognize measurable results, innovation, adherence to sound financial and governmental practices, and accountability.
A lot of hard work has gone into these award-winning library programs. Some are past events, others are brand-new, and some are ongoing, so you can still participate. Let’s take a closer look:
NURTURING NATURE & COMMUNITY
Two of the NACo Achievement Awards demonstrate the County’s and the library’s commitment to protecting the environment.
LAND LOVERS SERIES
Established in 2022, the Land Lovers Series is a response to the need to raise public awareness and sensitivity to local environmental challenges and to increase participation in the County’s Keep Henrico Beautiful Land Lover Award.
In a partnership with Keep Henrico Beautiful, the library offers presentations at regular intervals throughout the year free of charge to area residents and business owners. Topics cover local ecosystem diversity and best management practices for water quality and soil health. Recent programs include information on rain gardens, native pollinators, and wildlife rescue, with special attention given to practical application.
The series aims to provide area residents and business owners with knowledge, skills, and motivation to help address community environmental challenges. Participation has grown with a 66 percent increase since the program started, with nearly 200 attendees overall. Check out upcoming Land Lovers Series programs.
NATIVE PLANT GARDEN
A new library initiative recognized with an award is the Native Plant Garden at the Glen Allen Library. The work is a collaboration with several other county agencies, including Keep Henrico Beautiful and Henrico's Environmental Action Resource Team (H.E.A.R.T.)
In the fall of 2024, the H.E.A.R.T. Youth Council installed the first plants, focusing on perennials that return each year. The Native Plant Garden is in its early stages, but it will provide opportunities for children in grades K-2 attending library programs to learn about native plants, pollinators, and basic ecology. The new garden also benefits library patrons of all ages, allowing them to enjoy the space, observe the plants’ growth, and delight in watching pollinators such as bees and butterflies.
Native plants are a vital part of our ecosystem. They support wildlife, including important pollinators, which are in steep decline due to factors such as habitat loss. Native plants also promote biodiversity. Because they are already adapted to the environment, native plants require less water, are disease and pest-resistant, and often require less care. In addition, they help prevent soil erosion and reduce air pollution. Learn more about the plants in the Native Plant Garden.
CELEBRATING COMMUNITY VOICES
The library reflects the many communities it serves through programming. In late 2022, the library and the Asian American Society of Central Virginia (AASoCV) developed a program to bring the community together.
Working with the AASoCV president and inspired by the book Portraits of Immigrant Voices, the library hosted a panel discussion highlighting experiences of immigrants in Central Virginia. This program told stories from the immigrant perspectives and opened the floor for questions and sharing. Participants related their life experiences: the lives they left behind, the challenges they faced, and the successes they have achieved. The stories showed examples of strength, courage, and resilience. More than 20 people attended the program, which lifted the voices of Asian Americans, deepening a broader understanding, growth, and healing in the community.
Although this program is over, we invite you to check out Portraits of Immigrant Voices to learn more about the book that inspired the program and to meet some of your neighbors.
The NACo Achievement Awards underscore the vital role libraries play as community hubs. We invite you to visit HCPL for its award-winning programs, special spaces designed with you in mind, and resources to help enrich your life.
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