The Joseph F. Shubert Library Excellence Award
The New York State Regents Advisory Council on Libraries, Friends of the New York State Library
The Joseph F. Shubert Library Excellence Award is given annually to recognize the achievements of small, medium and large libraries and library consortia in New York State. Named after the late Joseph F. Shubert, former State Librarian, the Award honors libraries or library consortia that have taken significant steps within the past two years to improve the quality of library service to users.
The New York State Regents Advisory Council is pleased to sponsor the Joseph F. Shubert Library Excellence Award. The award includes a gift of $1,000 supplied by the Friends of the New York State Library. Other notable projects may also be recognized and honored for their achievements.
2020 Recipient
Nyack Library Honored with 2020 Shubert Library Excellence Award
The New York State Library and the Regents Advisory Council on Libraries is pleased to announce that the 2020 Joseph F. Shubert Library Excellence Award has been awarded to the Nyack Library for its Black American Culture & Arts Series: The Legacy of Toni Morrison.
Originally a solo project for Black History Month, Nyack expanded their exploration of Nobel Laureate Morrison into a comprehensive, year-long reflection of her impact and legacy through a variety of programs across artistic media. The intent of the series was to attract a broad audience whose lives have been and continue to be affected by the work of this author. The series included programming to reach across the spectrum of ages and experiences.
In addition, the Library turned the challenges presented by the COVID pandemic into a positive opportunity to connect with community members. When in-person events became impossible, the Library pivoted to digital platforming, increasing their attendance by 3 times what was anticipated for an in-person event. In the Library’s words: “We wanted to foster conversation and discourse that helps participants realize that the ideas captured in Dr. Morrison's poetic words will continue to be relevant as American culture searches for racial and social justice and equity.” The Shubert Award Committee agreed and unanimously awarded the 2020 Shubert Award to the Nyack Library.
State Librarian Lauren Moore had these comments about the 2020 Shubert Award: “This year’s pool of candidates presented the Committee with a difficult challenge – how to pick from an array of quality projects. While we are pleased to honor Nyack Library with this award, we felt that we must recognize two other participants with Honorable Mentions”:
- The Cattaraugus Library. Under extremely challenging operating conditions, the new Director increased book & DVD circulation and patron usage of the Library by 100%. Using innovative programming such as Drive-by Santa Claus and Celebration of Dr. Seuss, the Director was successful in reengaging the local community. This resulted in generous donations of materials and volunteer help in restoring Library infrastructure.
- Capital Area BOCES School Library Systems (Hamilton-Fulton-Montgomery (HFM) BOCES, Questar III BOCES, Capital Region BOCES, and Washington-Saratoga-Warren-Hamilton-Essex (WSWHE) BOCES. As school districts closed down from the pandemic, school librarians were fielding questions from teachers, students, and parents to help them navigate this new landscape of digital learning. After a needs assessment (involving 90 area librarians), the BOCES libraries developed a program of 12 weekly, one-hour sessions with topics that included strategies to meet teacher and student needs, dealing with social-emotional concerns of families, teachers and students, and enriching literacy through reading motivation. One example of the program’s success was an increase of over 50% in e-book usage.
Previous Award Recipients
[Click on the links below to view their applications for the Award and/or links to more information about the project.]
2019 |
Southern Adirondack Library System for its Fresh Food Collective Farm-2-Library Distribution initiative [ .PDF; 208k] |
2018 |
Clinton Community Library for its Optimistic Aging [ .PDF; 616k] program. |
2017 |
Rochester Public Library for its fines elimination pilot program. |
2016 |
Hendrick Hudson Free Library for their being the first library in Westchester County to be certified as a Green Business. |
2015 |
Red Hook Public Library for their recognition of its innovative programs and increase in attendance and circulation.
|
2014 |
no award given |
2013 |
Winner: Southworth Library Learning Commons at SUNY Canton
for their transitioning to a learning commons model from a traditional academic library
Runner-up: School Library Systems Association of New York State, Inc. (SLSA) with its consortium of school systems across NYS to create the SLS Consortium of Online Resources for Education |
2012 |
Winner: Greece Public Library for their expansion of programming space
|
2011 |
Winner: The New York Public Library (NYPL) for their project entitled Homework NYC
Runner-up: Genesee Valley Educational Partnership (BOCES) School Library System, for their regional school library system union catalog FiveSystems.org |
2010 |
Winner: Queens Library, for Queens Library for Teens.
Runner-up: Milne Library/SUNY Geneseo, for “LILAC” (Library Instruction Leadership Academy)
|
2009 |
Winner: New York City School Library System for their Tween to Teen program.
Runner-up: Western New York Library Resources Council for their project entitled, Ask Us 24/7 |
2008 |
Winner: Mid-Hudson Library System in Poughkeepsie, New York, for the program entitled Health Information Project.
Runner-up: Queens Library for HealthLink. |
2007 |
Story Quilt, a "one-of-a-kind literary, social history project of the Galway Public Library...."
|
2006 |
Southeastern New York Library Resources Council:
"The Hudson River Valley Heritage (HRVH) Service," providing
online access to historical materials from New York State's Hudson River
Valley to researchers, students and the general public.
Albany Public Library: Bookmobile service, coordinated by the Library's Outreach Department, providing day-to-day programs and services so that "[e]very City of Albany resident shall have regular and equitable access to the information, educational, and recreational resources and programs of the Albany Public Library." |
2005 |
Southern Adirondack Library System:
"Statewide Performer Database," a unique project that supports
statewide youth library service by compiling programming and performer
information from all across New York.
Mid-York Library System: The "Regional Read" project promoted literacy and community involvement by encouraging people to read Ray Bradbury's Fahrenheit 451 and to participate in programs related to the book. |
2004 |
Rochester Regional Library Council: "CLIC-on-Health" project, an outstanding approach to providing
the people of the greater Rochester area with high-quality healthcare
information and resources.
Cortland Junior/Senior High School Library: "Parent-Child Book Club" project, an exceptional approach to promoting literacy by bringing together eighth graders and their parents for literary discussions and author presentations. |
2002 |
Albany Public Library: "First Stop/The Next Step" project, a unique approach to addressing the needs of those in the community who are in the process of making the transition from incarceration to employment. |
2001 |
Crandall Public Library,
Glen Falls: Unique approach to addressing specific consumer
health needs of patrons.
Four County Library System, Vestal: Exemplary approach to providing Internet resources to a rural community via a Cybermobile project. |
2000 |
Buffalo & Erie County Public Library
Lincoln High School Media Center |
1999 |
Kendall Jr. High School Library
Mohawk Valley Library System |
1998 |
Brooklyn Public Library
Queens Borough Public Library North Country Reference and Research Resources Council |
1997 |
Port Washington Public Library
Science, Industry & Business Library Potsdam Public Library Reading Room Association of Gouverneur Finger Lakes Library System & Project Partners University Libraries, SUNY at Buffalo University Southern Westchester BOCES School Library System Suffolk Cooperative Library System |
1996 |
New York Academy of Medicine Library
The New York Public Library – The Branch Libraries Lawville Free Library Mohawk Valley Library Association Nassau School Library System Fairport Library Council |
1995 |
Brooklyn Public Library
Queens Borough Public Library Buffalo & Erie County Public Library Mid-York Library System Honorable Mention:
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