The Institute of Museum and Library Services announced Wednesday, that the Lambertville Free Public Library is among 30 finalists for the 2024 National Medal for Museum and Library Service, the nation’s highest honor given to museums and libraries that demonstrate excellence in service to their communities.
“To be named as a finalist for this prestigious National Medal not only honors the Lambertville Library’s outstanding staff and trustees, but also the many hundreds of community-minded individuals as well as civic and governmental organizations that participate in, contribute to, and support our programs, activities, and services,” said Lambertville Library Director Jennifer Sirak. “We thank Senator Cory Booker (D-NJ) for nominating us, and we gratefully acknowledge the New Jersey State Library for supporting us through the nominating process.”
The COVID-19 pandemic and the devastating losses and dislocations from Hurricane Ida flooding in September 2021 prompted the Lambertville Library to devise innovative ways to interact with and support the public, especially the city’s growing Spanish-speaking population. These groundbreaking outreach efforts gradually forged strong connections between the Hispanic community, the library, local schools and government, local and regional service organizations, and the city at large.
The establishment of the library-sponsored Latinas en Lambertville led to the city’s first-ever Oaxaca Festival in 2022 that showcased the rich cultural heritage of the Hispanic community, bringing together over 100 Hispanic and non-Hispanic volunteers and attracting over 500 attendees. Further synergies of communication and cooperation produced a second, even grander Oaxaca Festival in 2023.
“We are proud of all that our Hispanic community members have done to enrich the city’s social fabric,” said Trina Bardusco, Lambertville Library’s Head of Hispanic Programming. “The community-wide bridges we are building have created a warm sense of belonging that has touched so many hearts and lives in our small town. This IMLS honor highlights what the flexibility and creativity of a small, independent library in concert with a caring community can accomplish.”
To celebrate this honor, IMLS is encouraging Lambertville Library community members to share stories, memories, pictures, and videos on social media using the hashtags #ShareYourStory and #IMLSmedals, and to engage with IMLS on X, Facebook, and Instagram. For information, visit the IMLS website.
National Medal winners will be announced in late May followed by a National Medals Ceremony this summer. To see the list of 15 libraries and 15 museums that are finalists for this 30th annual award, and to learn more about the National Medal, visit the IMLS website at www.imls.gov.
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