McAllen Public Library receives the 2023 Achievement of Library Excellence Award for Tenth Year in a Row
Written by admin, Mar 26, 2024, 0 Comments
Courtesy Xochitl Mora,
(McAllen, Texas)-McAllen Public Library in McAllen, Texas has received the 2023 Achievement of Library Excellence Award from the Texas Municipal Library Directors Association (TMLDA,) an affiliate of the Texas Municipal League, for the tenth year in a row.
“McAllen Public Library has received this recognition because it consistently brings high quality programs, award-winning events and much-needed services to all of our citizens,” said McAllen City Manager Roel “Roy” Rodriguez, P.E. “McAllen Public Library continues to meet the evolving needs of our community members. We are so proud of this facility that continues to promote literacy and learning at every level, with every available resource.”
The excellence award is open to all TMLDA members and the library they represent.
“I am so proud of the MPL staff at all three locations,” said Kate Horan, Library Director. “We have more than 127,000 registered library cardholders and the staff work hard to bring the highest quality services and innovative programming for citizens of all ages and abilities.”
Just last year, MPL received 444,000 visitors and answered 68,000 questions from patrons. MPL circulated 684,000 books, e-books, audiobooks, DVDs, Blu-rays and more. Close to 80,000 people attended a wide range of programs and events which focused on literacy, arts and crafts, health and wellness, storytelling, and lifelong learning opportunities.
Horan says she is especially proud of services to children and young adults in the Rio Grande Valley. In addition to weeks of packed calendars for the Summer Reading Program, MPL offers the annual South Texas Book Festival for children, teens and adults, as well as coding classes, and many other programs to encourage lifelong learning and reading.
To successfully receive the Achievement of Library Excellence Award, the library must exhibit excellence by providing services to underserved and special populations, enhancing services, marketing in innovative ways, promoting cultural, topical, and educational programming, providing literacy support, providing summer reading clubs, pursuing collaborative efforts, supporting workforce development, providing for digital inclusion, and comprehensively training staff.
According to the Texas State Library Archives Commission, of the 545 public libraries in Texas, only 84 received this award in 2023.
