You Could Be a Winner!

Is your library doing something amazing with a diverse group of older adults that could possibly be considered a for an award? There is only one way to find out, apply for the Marietta Y. King & Alberta Walden Still Diversity Award for Public Library Service to Older Adults in a Diverse Community for 2010.

This award honors the life and accomplishments of the late Marietta Y. King and
Alberta Walden Still. Both were persons of African American descent who served on the Library Service for Older Adults Task Force now Innovative Services for an Aging Population Advisory Committee (ISAP), sponsored by the Office of Commonwealth Libraries, from its inception until their deaths. ISAP is seeking to recognize Pennsylvania public libraries that have promoted library service to a culturally diverse population of older adults. Public libraries of all sizes are invited to share their success in developing programs and services for an older population including ethnic or minority groups, especially African Americans, Native Americans, Asian Americans and Hispanic Americans.

The Criteria for this award include:

• Goals for strengthening and enhancing programs and services that attract older minority adults
• A description of outreach activities to attract people of all races, every economic group and both genders in an effective way that benefits all people in the library’s service area. Outreach is important because many minorities live in a culture of isolation that has been fostered by racism or other factors contributing to a socially disadvantaged population. Many of these persons have lived in communities where they have been historically denied library service and may not view the library as a welcoming institution.
• Examples of promotional activities to the target group to raise public awareness of the library.
• Encouraging community participation in the design of library services for a diverse population, including working with community organizations such as churches to reach the target group.
• Intergenerational programs that target diverse groups.
• Can this program be replicated in other libraries and has it been repeated more than once in the past year in your library?

Public libraries of all sizes are encouraged to apply. The Award will be presented at the Annual Conference of the Pennsylvania Library Association in Lancaster at the Lancaster County Convention Center in October. Applications must be received by July 23, 2010.