Birmingham Public Library Board Awards Two New Innovative Cool Award Recipients

Two efforts spearheaded by staff at the Eastwood Branch Library and the Southern History Department in the Linn-Henley Research Library are the latest recipients of grants from the Birmingham Public Library (BPL) Board of Trustees.

The BPL Board’s Innovative Cool Award program was established in April to encourage staffers to develop engaging new programs to generate enthusiasm and value for their library patrons. The $50 awards funding the programs are designed to encourage staff and librarians “to promote the library’s mission of lifelong learning and cultural enrichment,” said Dora Sims, chair of the BPL Board Advocacy Committee.

The two winners were recognized during the BPL board meeting on Tuesday, August 9, at 4:30 p.m. Here is background on the two new award recipients:

Claire Stanton

Make Your Own Halloween Mask Party, submitted by Claire Stanton, a library assistant III at the Eastwood Branch Library. “We are excited and are confident the children will have a lot of fun making their own Halloween masks,” said Sims, BPL Advocacy Committee chair. “It is through projects such as these children learn to be creative and develop a love and appreciation for the library.”

Laura Gentry

Recovering the Classics, submitted by Laura Gentry, a librarian in the Southern History Department at the Central Library. The project, beginning in September, promotes advocacy of classic books through a contest to encourage young adults and adults to create/design book covers for classic books. Winning book cover designs will be placed in a display exhibit on the first floor of the Central Library.

The idea for the award was brought to the advocacy committee by committee member Gwendolyn Amamoo. The board anticipates awarding up to $1,900 in new programs by the end of 2016. Guidelines for the board awards for these programs are posted on the library’s Intranet where all library staff has full access.

In order to qualify, staff must submit a brief paragraph or two explaining to the board how they will use the funds. The funds should assist staff in bringing new ideas to the library or provide extra support to existing programs. Submissions are due by the 15th of each month.