Library After Dark
Our 3rd Annual Library After Dark awards ceremony and fundraiser will be held on April 8 from 7:30-10 PM at the Rockville Memorial Library. The event, held during National Library Week, recognizes the outstanding dedication and service of MCPL staff, volunteers, and partners. This year we are excited to announce three awards to highly-deserving recipients to be presented at Library After Dark.
The Library Professional of the Year Award will be presented to the Library of the Future Summit committee that consists of Lennea Bower, Bill Carey, David Delgado, Barbara Giese-Chomycia, Robin Hein, Regina Holyfield-Jewett, Febe Huezo, Mary Ellen Icaza, Carol Legarreta, Sarah Mecklenburg, Susan Merewitz, Adrienne Miles Holderbaum, Susan Moritz, LaKrista Prather, Clotilde Puertolas, Angelica Rengifo, Tamar Sarnoff, Mark Santoro, Kate Tavakolian, and Judith Taylor. This team is responsible for the design and implementation of this innovative project. The Summit team used multiple settings and platforms to gather feedback from County residents about the current status and future of MCPL. MCPL is using that feedback to provide services, materials, programs, technologies, and spaces to best meet the needs of all residents.
We will present the Charles W. Gilchrist Volunteer Award posthumously to Jan Jablonski, co-founder of Noyes Children’s Library Foundation. Jan long advocated on behalf of libraries, early childhood literacy, and special needs children. In 2016, she spearheaded a major campaign to fund a universal design renovation plan to make Noyes, the 123-year- old library building, not only ADA compliant, but a model of true accessibility and inclusion. Thank you to everyone who submitted nominations for the Gilchrist Award, FOLMC and MCPL are fortunate to have the support of dedicated volunteers.
The Community Partnership Award will go to Gaithersburg Book Festival (GBF). GBF has grown to be the largest event of its kind in the area and is considered one of the nation’s top literary events. Founded by Jud Ashman, the Mayor of the City of Gaithersburg, the festival attracts hundreds of award-winning authors, poets, and songwriters locally to showcase their works, ideas, and craft to thousands of people. From the time of its inception, GBF reached out to FOLMC as a literary partner to promote libraries in our community.
These library staff, volunteers, and community leaders make Montgomery County Public Libraries an outstanding, nationally recognized library system. Library After Dark tickets are on sale now, $80 for regular ticket and $70 for FOLMC Members and MCPL merit staff. Visit the FOLMC website to purchase tickets.
Literary Luncheon
On May 11, FOLMC will feature Mei Fong and Andrew Lih at our Literary Luncheon at the Mansion at Strathmore, 10701 Rockville Pike, North Bethesda. This literary power couple will discuss their lives, careers, and works together. Lecture begins at 11:30 AM followed by optional luncheon at 12:30 PM.
Mei Fong is a Pulitzer-winning journalist and former staff reporter for the China bureau of The Wall Street Journal. She is the author of One Child: The Story of China’s Most Radical Experiment. Andrew Lih is a new media researcher and professor of journalism at American University. Lih is an expert on Wikipedia who published the book, The Wikipedia Revolution: How A Bunch of Nobodies Created the World’s Greatest Encyclopedia.
Copies of One Child will be available for purchase. During your visit, you can also tour the historic Strathmore Mansion and art exhibit, as well as shop for handmade crafts and jewelry. Ridgewells will cater lunch from a pre-selected menu.
Register for the luncheon online or call 240-777-0020
FOLMC is supported in part by funding from the Arts and Humanities Council of Montgomery County.Labels: April 2017, FOL Happenings
