The National Association of Counties (NACo) yearly award winners shared a commonality during the 2021 year. Of the library programs honored, all displayed a high level of caring for communities served by providing practical assistance during the first year of the Coronavirus pandemic. County leaders reacted swiftly and prudently to the outbreak by continuing to meet needs with new approaches. Their efforts were recognized by the awards.
The Achievement Awards were distributed at a luncheon during the NACo Annual Conference in Prince George County, Maryland. The luncheon was a live event with attendees in-person and online attendees. County officials from all over the country gathered at the conference, and there were illustrious speakers such as Vice President Kamala Harris, Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi, and Senator Mitch McConnell.
NACo recognized 844 entries from 28 different states. There were county programs cited for excellence in infrastructure, communications, health, the arts, and other categories. Libraries were honored for innovation and helpfulness. Fifty-seven library systems received Achievements Awards. NACo representatives touted the quality of the programs submitted for consideration in the annual awards which are judged by an internal panel.
"Each year, we are impressed by the programs submitted for Achievement Awards and this year was no different. County leaders put their residents' needs first and are always looking for new and innovative ways to serve them. We see that in the Achievement Award-winning programs," said NACo Director of Communications, Paul Guequierre, in an email.
From among those winning examples of modernization, two library system programs will be spotlighted here for reaching out to the community to provide resources to those who were under stay-at-home orders.
MCDCL Now in Maricopa County, Arizona was chosen for its response to the outbreak of Coronavirus. A week after shutting down, the library sprang into action and offered its first online event. Since then, its literacy events, book club meetings, and other online programs have been accessed over 77,000 times by library patrons. Although the library system was closed physically, its patrons were not denied access.
Connecting Across the County in Los Angeles County, California was another program that was chosen to receive an award. Their system recorded videos and live interactive events for people of all ages and interests. They included material on STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Art, and Math), cultural history, and books. All of these were specifically created to address the impact of the pandemic on individuals' lives. The LA County Library System has added 600 + programs since March 2020 and is adding more daily.
The National Association of Counties is a non-profit nationwide organization that strengthens counties by advocating for their interests in the federal government. It was founded in 1935 and promotes excellence in county-level policy-making. Their awards take place at a yearly conference in July. For more information, the NACo website is www.naco.org.