Making a Difference Awards

2012, June 20 - 11:40am — carleep
News Date: 
20 June 2012

Marigold Library System’s Making a Difference Award recognizes and celebrates excellence and innovation in library service!

Awards were presented to Irricana and Cereal libraries at the Member Libraries’ Workshop on May 9, 2012. Each winner received a plaque and a monetary award of $500 to be used at the local library board’s discretion. 
 

  • Irricana Library’s Public Relations campaign increased cardholders by 40%, doubled volunteers within the library, encouraged 678 individuals to take part in over 100 programs, and established and nurtured strong relationships with community organizations, schools, local media and residents.

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  • Cereal Library’s Celebration of the Arts and 30thAnniversary event attracted people who had not visited the library since they were children. They were pleasantly surprised to see the transformation of the Library. The entire community collaborated to make this celebration a success.

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    Elysse Reicheneder, Irricana Library Manager:  
    “ We knew, at the inception of this campaign that our library was more than books, that it needed to be a place for people to gather and have fun. We needed to blend entertainment and knowledge into an atmosphere that would foster a community meeting place for all of our targeted audiences... Our public relations campaign began with small steps but quickly took on momentum in the form of increased awareness of the library and acceptance of its role in the community. As our campaign progressed, we witnessed individuals and community groups coming forward to offer their support in funding, sponsorship and with an excitement to be affiliated with the library. The local media became an integral partner in information dissemination, promoting us and our services to the extent that it changed public perception of us. These factors were paramount in the increase in program attendance, membership, and volunteer recruitment.”

    Elaine Michaels, Cereal Board Chair: 
    “Cereal became a member of Marigold in 1981 so we decided to make our anniversary a very special day for the library. Our application to Alberta Culture & Community Spirit resulted in Cereal being chosen to be one of 55 celebration host sites for Alberta Arts Days. A call was put out to all quilters, painters, photographers, woodworkers, cross-stitchers, and scrap-bookers. Local children were given free rein to paint (on newsprint) a large mural on the gymnasium wall. Musicians were solicited to provide an evening of entertainment and award winning author, Linda Ford, graciously accepted a request for an author talk. Over 100 people attended our 2-day Art Walk in the C.J. Peacock Centre. Our event attracted people who had not visited the library since they were children. We were pleased to welcome them to our open house/celebration and to introduce them to the Cereal Municipal Library, as it is today, a thriving part of the prairie community.”

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