BROWARD COUNTY, FL – Broward County Libraries Division recently received nine prestigious national awards for innovative programs, services and marketing initiatives that improve the quality of life for both library customers and the community as a whole. These awards include three National Association of Counties (NACo) Achievement Awards and six National Association of County Information Officers (NACIO) Awards of Excellence.

“It is an honor to be recognized by our professional peers,” says Broward County Libraries Director Kelvin Watson. "Most importantly, these awards illustrate and spotlight our efforts to continually improve our customers' library experiences and their lives outside of the library. By continuing to innovate and grow, we're able to provide our community with services and resources that go beyond their expectations."

The award winners include:

• Vet Fest, a free, one-day expo for veterans, active-duty military members and their families designed to connect them to valuable library and community resources. (NACo Achievement Award; NACIO Award-Meritorious for Special Projects/Community Events)
• Bridging the Digital Divide with Gear to Go, a library initiative providing free, convenient access to technology for Broward County youth and teens. (NACo Achievement Award)
• Chalk Lit Festival, a community art and literary festival co-produced by the Broward County Cultural Division. (NACo Achievement Award)
• BCL eNews, Broward County Library's weekly e-newsletter, which contains information on library programs, events and services and is sent out weekly to over 130,000 e-subscribers. (NACIO Award-Excellence for Electronic Communications/Citizens Newsletter)
•  Broward County Library News, the Library's, bi-monthly print newsletter. (NACIO Award-Meritorious for Publications)
• Broward.org/Library, the Library's website and virtual branch. (NACIO Award-Meritorious for Electric Communications/Websites)
• Facebook.Com/BrowardCountyLibrary, Broward County Library's Facebook page. (NACIO Award-Meritorious for Electric Communications/Facebook Pages)
• "Data-Driven Decisions," a speech presented by Library Director Kelvin Watson at a national library conference, discussed how the Library uses statistics to make informed operational decisions. (NACIO Award-Superior for Writing/Speeches).

The NACo and NACIO awards were recently presented at the organizations' national conferences. Broward County winners will be recognized locally at an upcoming ceremony. 

About Broward County Libraries Division 
Broward County Libraries Division, named 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: July 30, 2019
MEDIA CONTACT: Catherine McElrath
Libraries Division
PHONE: 954-357-7402
EMAIL: cmcelrath@Broward.org