Published: June 25, 2009 12:11 am      

State honors city library

GREENVILLE — The Greenville City Council took time this week to recognize the city library, which recently received an award of excellence.

The W. Walworth Harrison Public Library has been named among the best such institutions in the State of Texas. Library Director Paul Phelan, along with members of the library and city staff, Friends of the Library and Library Board were on hand for Tuesday night’s regular Council meeting, where they were presented with the 2009 Achievement of Excellence in Libraries Award from the Texas Municipal Library Directors Association.

Mayor Tom Oliver read from a letter to City Manager Steve Alexander from Kerry McGeath, co-chair of the Library Association’s Achievement of Excellence in Libraries Award Committee of the Texas Municipal Library Directors Association.

“The W. Walworth Harrison Public Library has demonstrated excellence in all 10 areas required to qualify,” Oliver read. “Please accept our sincere congratulations to a library that prizes quality services and programs for the continued education and personal enrichment of its citizens.”

Of the 565 public libraries in the State of Texas, only 33 received the 2009 award.

Some of the areas in which the library was recognized were in providing a comprehensive summer reading program, service to underserved populations, cultural programming, literacy support, developing partnerships for enhanced service delivery and maintaining a comprehensive online presence.

“This award is a great honor for our library and several staff members and board members are to be commended for their contributions to the quality of library services offered to Greenville residents,” Phelan said.

The team members cited by Phelan included Marcia Adams, Sue Campbell, Nicole English, Evan Ethridge, Kim Lackey, Steve Combs, Brent Walton, Denise Donnenwerth, Maggie Denmark, Robert Rhone, Stephanie Hartline, LaJeana Jackson, Lisa Magenheimer, Sylvia Rodriguez, Carol Taylor, Bob Jordan and Cheryl Warden.