Norfolk Public Library Receives Two Awards from the Virginia Public Library Directors Association

(Norfolk, VA) May 13, 2009- The Norfolk Public Library was awarded the Outstanding Public Relations Project award and Outstanding Library Facility award from the Virginia Public Library Directors Association at their annual meeting on April 30, 2009.

The Outstanding Public Relations Project award for populations over 100,000 was for the library's African American History Month promotional materials. Every year, the NPL Public Relations department creates promotional materials to advertise the events for African American History Month. This year's theme, The Quest for Black Citizenship in the Americas, guided the development of the promotional materials. In using the theme, the PR staff created a historical image timeline as the overlying design. Included in the images was a photograph of Barack Obama, celebrating the country's first African American President. The annual printing of 1500 copies usually yields leftovers; however, this year we distributed all copies with people asking for more!

The Outstanding Library Facility award for populations over 100,000 was for the Mary D. Pretlow Anchor Branch Library. Norfolk Public Library opened the anchor branch library in March 2008. Since then, circulation has exceeded 30,000 books a month, and over 34,000 people visit the library monthly. The Pretlow Anchor Branch Library has set the standard for what a family gathering place should be.

For more information about Norfolk Public Library, please call (757) 664-7328 or go to www.npl.lib.va.us.