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Kelvin Watson Named One of SoFla's 50 Most Influential Black Professionals
  
- "Legacy" Magazine includes him in their May 2020 "Power" issue -
  

BROWARD COUNTY, FLBroward County Library Director Kelvin Watson has been selected by Legacy South Florida magazine as one of South Florida’s "50 Most Influential and Powerful Black Professionals of 2020." 

Director Watson, along with the magazine's other honorees which include Makiba Foster, Regional Manager of Broward County's African American Research Library and Cultural Center, are featured in Legacy South Florida’s May 2020 “Power” issue. The issue was distributed this week as an insert with the May 6th edition of the Sun Sentinel.

In 2017, Kelvin Watson joined Broward County Library after serving as the Chief Operating Officer, Senior Vice President for Queens Library in New York City. Since then, he’s led innovative, award-winning initiatives that position the library as vital community hub and a provider of essential educational, recreational and cultural resources.

Under his leadership, Broward County Library has developed key partnerships with local businesses, government agencies and other organizations to launch numerous innovative and award-winning initiatives that that enhance and expand library services.

These include programs that bring the library’s free digital books and other media to county bus riders, park visitors and travelers passing through Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport. He spearheaded a partnership with Broward County Public Schools to provide students with digital library cards that use their student IDs and has created community lending programs for free digital tablets, Internet service, virtual reality gear, robotics and other gadgets.

"I am honored to be a part of such a distinguished group of South Floridians, and humbled that Legacy South Florida included me in this prestigious list," Watson said.

Director Watson started his career as an officer in the United States Army, then transitioned into the private sector as an executive with Ingram Library Services, Borders Group and The Library Corporation (TLC). These positions fueled his passion for the field of library science and he joined the USDA National Agricultural Library and then the Queens Borough Public Library in Queens, New York. 

He is a Past President of the Black Caucus of American Library Association and currently serves on the Board of Directors for the Book Industry Study Group, the Public Library Association Board of Directors and the Board of Directors for the Southeast Florida Library Information Network. 

Director Watson was named the 2019 Florida Librarian of the Year by the Florida Library Association. He is also the recipient of the Ernest A. DiMattia, Jr. Award for Innovation and Service to Community and Profession; the 2017 DEMCO/ALA Black Caucus Award for Excellence in Librarianship; the 2019 Stirling Road Friends of the Library Favorite Friend Award and the Friends of the African American Research Library and Cultural Center's 2019 Community Service & Distinguished Achievement Award. 

Mr. Watson is a member of the Ft. Lauderdale Alumni and Southaven Mississippi Alumni Chapters of Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity, Inc. 

Legacy South Florida Magazine is a business/news publication serving South Florida’s Black community with insightful articles, information on business, careers, politics, education, culture and social commentary. It is distributed as an insert in the Sun-Sentinel newspaper.

About Broward County Libraries Division
Broward County Libraries Divisionnamed 2015 Library of the Year by the Florida Library Association, was founded in 1974 and is the largest library system in Florida by square footage and one of the busiest, with more than 7.5 million walk-in customers visiting its 38 locations annually. Broward County Libraries Division provides convenient access to a full range of innovative and cost-effective services that satisfy the changing needs of the people of Broward County for information, education and recreation. Visit our website, Broward.org/Library, or follow Libraries on Facebook and Twitter.

DATE: May 1, 2020
MEDIA CONTACT: 
Catherine McElrath
Libraries Division
PHONE: 
954-357-7402
EMAILcmcelrath@Broward.org