Library wins Excellence Award

    Each year, the Maine State Library offers an Excellence Award program. This year, the Mark & Emily Turner Memorial Library earned this distinction.
    The statewide Excellence Award program is co-sponsored by the Maine State Library, Maine Regional Library System, Maine Library Association, Friends of Maine Libraries, and the Maine Library Trustee Association.  The Maine Library Excellence Award honors Maine public libraries that most strongly demonstrate outstanding services and programs.
    The library won this Excellence Award for a number of factors, but most notably, for positioning itself as an official passport agent. Citizens are now afforded the convenience of applying for a passport in the comfort of the library. It is a demonstration for other libraries to follow and a “best practices” for other libraries throughout the State and nationwide. It is yet another example of how libraries are a rich resource in the community and provide services that impact your everyday life.
    Judges from New England states represent various library constituencies, such as friends, trustees, library associations and individual libraries. Winners receive a $500 cash award, a plaque, recognition at statewide library events, and the use of an excellence award banner for one year. The award is presented by the State Librarian to the award recipients at their libraries. As part of the award, the State Librarian visits our library for a public reception and presentation of this award.
    Library Trustees and staff, other City Departments, the City Manager, the Presque Isle City Council, and all of the community can be proud that we earned this distinction as a model for other communities. The many librarians in our community that take an active interest in our library and collaborate with us are also an important part of our excellence. We look forward to your participation in the reception with the State Librarian and are pleased that Presque Isle is once again recognized for its ability to lead,
    For more information, please see our blog at www.presqueisle.lib.me.us.
    Sonja Plummer-Morgan is Presque Isle’s Librarian.