LEHI, Utah (February 23, 2015)—SirsiDynix is pleased to announce that Belgrade Community Library (BCL) has received Library Journal’s prestigious Best Small Library in America award for 2015. Co-sponsored by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, the award encourages and showcases the exemplary work of libraries serving populations under 25,000. With a service area population of 12,700, BCL was awarded for its community engagement, technology enhancements, and outstanding leadership.
“Both our staff and community are very honored,” said Gale Bacon, BCL Director. “This award really reaches back to 1932 when the library was built—it’s a culmination of the visions and efforts originally put in place to create a relevant library and community center for the Belgrade community. Whether it’s through art displays or more outreach for teens, this award stems down to listening to our community and understanding how to serve each member.”
Deemed the “Loaves and Fishes Library” by Bacon and her staff, BCL is strongly supported by its community through fundraising, donations, and more, and has experienced a 127 percent growth in program attendance since 2010. Programs from tech tutorials and 3D printing to military outreaches and family trivia nights have provided unique opportunities to BCL’s community for years, adding value to the 90,548 items circulated to Belgrade’s diverse population in 2014.
BCL is part of the Montana Shared Catalog (MSC), a 167-member consortium that shares SirsiDynix Symphony across 92 communities.
“We’re thrilled that Belgrade Community Library has been chosen as this year’s Best Small Library in America,” said Bill Davison, SirsiDynix CEO. “BCL has set the stage for all libraries—regardless of type or size—through outstanding community service and an acute attention to its patrons’ specific needs. Symphony only adds to the value that BCL already brings to its community and we’re honored to contribute to the success of BCL, its patrons, and the Montana Shared Catalog as a whole.”
As one of the first members of MSC, BCL serves as a leader for many of the consortium’s libraries, as well as for thousands of libraries across the nation. BCL is the second consecutive Symphony library to win the award, following Edmonton Public Library in 2014.
About Belgrade Community Library
The mission of the Belgrade Community Library is to provide access to information that inspires lifelong learning, advances knowledge, and strengthens its community. To learn more about the library’s services and resources, visit www.belgradelibrary.org.
About SirsiDynix
SirsiDynix connects people with knowledge at more than 23,000 libraries around the world. Through library management technology and search and discovery tools, libraries using SirsiDynix technology bring relevant resources and the power of knowledge to their users and communities. SirsiDynix technology center is architected to be open, scalable, and robust, offering a complete out-of-the-box solution and unparalleled flexibility through APIs and web services. Complemented by the most experienced training, consulting, and support staff in the industry, SirsiDynix helps libraries create tomorrow’s libraries, today. To find out more, visit www.sirsidynix.com.
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Contact Information
For more information on this release, please contact:
Eric Keith
+1 801.223.5361
