Beacon Falls Library to receive excellence award

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BEACON FALLS — The Beacon Falls Public Library will be honored with the Connecticut Library Association 2018 Excellence in Public Library Service Award for a library the serves a population under 15,000.

The award honors public libraries that have provided an outstanding program or service to their communities. One award is also given annually to a library the serves a population over 15,000.

Nominations are judged on creativity and innovation, service to the community, leadership in creating model programs and programs which will affect the future of the library and its community, according to the association’s website.

Beacon Falls Library will receive the award Tuesday during the association’s annual conference at the Danbury Crowne Plaza.

“Our library staff is extremely proud to receive this award,” Library Director Sue Dowdell said. “We strive to give all ages opportunities to explore new interests and develop new friendships. We are honored to have the high-quality programs we offer showcased in this way.”

In a nomination letter, Friends of the Beacon Falls Library Vice President Wanda Mulinski wrote the library, which is one of the smallest in the state with 1,250 square feet of dedicated space, has increased the number of adult-centered programs from 52 in the 2014-15 fiscal year to 63 in 2016-17. The total number of adult participants also increased from 463 to 748 over that time, she wrote.

Mulinski also pointed to new youth initiatives, like a Lego robotics team and youth theater group, the library started after parents reached out to the library.

“Beacon Falls Public Library staff responds to the needs of the community. As one of our Friends members have said, they are ‘they little library that does big things,’” she wrote.