~ Each Library Receives $10,000 from the H.W. Wilson Foundation ~

IPSWICH, Mass. — May 31, 2016 — Eight libraries are being recognized for their strategic communications efforts with the 2016 John Cotton Dana Awards (JCD) for outstanding library public relations. The award is managed by the Library Leadership and Management Association (LLAMA) division of the American Library Association (ALA), and consists of $10,000 grants for each winner from the H.W. Wilson Foundation.

The winning campaigns feature a wide variety of strategies including: capturing the authentic stories of a library’s patrons on video in order to teach people why we need libraries; creating a high-impact summer learning program; partnering with a large business to increase the number of library cardholders to almost a million; efforts to educate people on a proposition that could result in drastic cuts in library services; zombie-themed outreach for donations of old power cords and connecting cables to resurrect data on outdated digital devices; a program designed to increase the number of kids ready for kindergarten; a celebration of all things Harry Potter that brought the entire community together; and the launch of an inspiration lab to inspire the community to create.

The winning libraries are:

The Charlotte Mecklenburg Library for a Library of Possibilities
Chicago Public Library Summer Learning Challenge 2015 Explore and Soar
Houston Public Library MyLink Card Campaign
New Orleans Public Library Millage Campaign, a Library at a Crossroads
Northwestern Libraries for UnDead Tech
The San Diego County Library for 1,000 Books Before Kindergarten
The Scholes Library at Alfred University for Harry Potter’s World
Vancouver Public Library Inspiration Lab Launch Campaign

The award is named after John Cotton Dana, the father of the modern library who is credited with helping transition libraries from reading rooms to community centers. JCD submissions include strategic library communications campaigns from libraries of all types and sizes. In recognition of the achievement, JCD award winners receive a cash development award from the H.W. Wilson Foundation. The John Cotton Dana Awards are presented during an awards ceremony hosted by EBSCO Information Services held during the American Library Association annual conference.

About the John Cotton Dana Award
The John Cotton Dana Award was inaugurated at the 1946 annual conference of the American Library Association. It was named after John Cotton Dana (1856-1929), a librarian called the father of the modern library.

About the H.W. Wilson Foundation
The H.W. Wilson Foundation was established in 1952 by Halsey W. Wilson, founder of The H.W. Wilson Company. Over the years the foundation has provided grants to libraries and library related causes. Since 1957 the foundation has supported scholarship grants to all library schools accredited by the American Library Association in the United States and Canada. Visit the foundation at thwwf.org.

About the Library Leadership and Management Association
The Library Leadership and Management Association (www.ala.org/llama) advances outstanding leadership and management practices in library and information services by encouraging and nurturing individual excellence in current and aspiring library leaders. LLAMA is a division of the American Library Association.

About EBSCO Information Services
EBSCO Information Services (EBSCO) is the leading discovery service provider for libraries worldwide with more than 10,000 discovery customers in over 100 countries. EBSCO Discovery Service™ (EDS) provides each institution with a comprehensive, single search box for its entire collection, offering unparalleled relevance ranking quality and extensive customization. EBSCO is also the preeminent provider of online research content for libraries, including hundreds of research databases, historical archives, point-of-care medical reference, and corporate learning tools serving millions of end users at tens of thousands of institutions. EBSCO is the leading provider of electronic journals & books for libraries, with subscription management for more than 360,000 serials, including more than 57,000 e-journals, as well as online access to more than 800,000 e-books. For more information, visit the EBSCO website at: www.ebsco.com. EBSCO Information Services is a division of EBSCO Industries Inc., a family owned company since 1944.