Birmingham Public Library Board Names Innovative and Cool Award, I Am BPL Award Winners for December
A new book club at the Smithfield Branch Library has tripled in size since starting in June. The library is hosting a special holiday party to help spread the word to potential new members thanks to a $100 gift from the Birmingham Public Library Board of Trustees.
The Central Library is hosting a Trivia Night @ BPL event to help the staff engage and connect with their patrons in a night of fun. At the Avondale Regional Branch Library, a monthly jewelry-making adventure for adults is adding new activities thanks to an influx of cash from the BPL Board as well.
Those three library programs are the latest recipients of the Birmingham Public Library (BPL)’s Innovative and Cool Award, presented during the December 13, 2016, board meeting. The award was established in April to encourage library staff to come up with unique ideas to serve the Birmingham community.
Also, the BPL Board named four winners of the I Am BPL Award, which honors staff who come up with unique ideas that help the 19-library system better serve the public. The December recipients are: Nancy Cleckler of the Central Library/Acquisitions Department; Ellen Griffin Shade of the Avondale Library, Augustus Jones of the Central Library/Fiction Department; and Maya Jones, branch manager of the West End Library
The BPL Innovative and Cool Award program has received national recognition, having been featured twice (August and October) in Library Journal. See links to both articles below:
Oct 31 2016 – "Staff as Innovation Leaders: From Great Ideas to Great Implementation"
http://lj.libraryjournal.com/2016/10/opinion/editorial/staff-as-innovation-leaders-from-great-ideas-to-great-implementation-editorial/#_
August 2016 – "Birmingham Public Library Board Funds Innovative Cool Awards"
http://lj.libraryjournal.com/2016/08/awards/birmingham-public-library-board-funds-innovative-cool-awards/#_
Since inception of the Innovative and Cool Award grants, the BPL Board of Trustees has provided $1,350 for 22 new programs at 14 libraries. The programs funded by the grants are as follows:
April 2016
May 2016
August 2016
September 2016
October 2016
November 2016
December 2016
The Central Library is hosting a Trivia Night @ BPL event to help the staff engage and connect with their patrons in a night of fun. At the Avondale Regional Branch Library, a monthly jewelry-making adventure for adults is adding new activities thanks to an influx of cash from the BPL Board as well.
Those three library programs are the latest recipients of the Birmingham Public Library (BPL)’s Innovative and Cool Award, presented during the December 13, 2016, board meeting. The award was established in April to encourage library staff to come up with unique ideas to serve the Birmingham community.
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| Joan Black (right) is a retired registered nurse who gives back to the community by volunteering her time teaching crochet classes at the West End Branch Library. |
The BPL Innovative and Cool Award program has received national recognition, having been featured twice (August and October) in Library Journal. See links to both articles below:
Oct 31 2016 – "Staff as Innovation Leaders: From Great Ideas to Great Implementation"
http://lj.libraryjournal.com/2016/10/opinion/editorial/staff-as-innovation-leaders-from-great-ideas-to-great-implementation-editorial/#_
August 2016 – "Birmingham Public Library Board Funds Innovative Cool Awards"
http://lj.libraryjournal.com/2016/08/awards/birmingham-public-library-board-funds-innovative-cool-awards/#_
Since inception of the Innovative and Cool Award grants, the BPL Board of Trustees has provided $1,350 for 22 new programs at 14 libraries. The programs funded by the grants are as follows:
April 2016
- Love to Color @ My Library, North Avondale Branch Library
- Career Survival Kit for Boys; Career Survival Kit for Girls, Pratt City Branch Library
- Crochet Class, West End Branch Library
May 2016
- Cowboy Boots and Books, North Avondale Branch Library
- Science Club; Reading Gems, Ensley Branch Library
August 2016
- Make Your Own Halloween Mask; Recovering the Classics, Central Library
September 2016
- KEVA Planks, East Ensley Branch Library
- Art Attack, Avondale Regional Branch Library
- Bubble Machine Storytime, Five Points West Regional Branch Library
October 2016
- After School Writing Lab, Powderly Branch Library
- Parenting Program; Vintage Memory Making Program, Springville Road Regional Branch Library
November 2016
- Active Living for Adults, Five Points West Regional Branch Library
- 2nd Wednesday afterschool program, Wylam Branch Library
- Nintendo NES Console purchase, Inglenook Branch Library
December 2016
- Book Club Holiday Party, Smithfield Branch Library
- Books and Beads adult program, Avondale Regional Branch Library
- Trivia Night, Central Library
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