Williamsburg Regional Library
Takes Home
Three Awards from State Meeting
At the annual meeting of the Virginia Public Library Directors Association, the Williamsburg Regional Library received awards for a Youth
Services program, a public relations project, and an outstanding library
trustee.
"Classics in the Library," initiated in 2000 by Naomi Marrow and Youth
Services Director Noreen Bernstein, is the Williamsburg Regional Library's own
children's theatre. It was awarded "Outstanding Youth Adult Program Serving
Population 50,000 - 99,000." The Classics in the Library group performs a
variety of popular plays especially for young audiences under the
direction of Naomi Marrow. Past performances have included Jane Eyre,
Little Women, A Christmas Carol, Diary of Anne Frank and 100 Years of Broadway.
They have also performed Charlotte's web for younger children as well as a
series of short plays.
"What's special to me," says Bernstein, "is that it connects teens to good
literature in multiple ways. They can perform it and they can watch their
friends performing it."
"Classics also allows kids to have a theatrical experience at almost no
cost, which makes this available to any child who is interested," she adds.
The library's "WRL-info" electronic mailing list was named "Outstanding
Public Relations Project Serving Population 50,000 - 99,000." WRL-info
was developed by Graphics and Publications Manager Jennifer Payne and Network Administrator Brett Charbeneau in early 1998. The list, which
details weekly library events and programs, has proved to be an effective
and efficient means of communication with patrons. Nearly 700 individual
e-mail addresses are currently subscribed to WRL-info. A form for joining
the list can be found on the library's website at http://www.wrl.org/programs/WRLinfo_list.html.
Phil Serra, who serves as the
Williamsburg Regional Library Board of
Trustees Finance Officer, was recognized as "Outstanding Library Trustee."
Mr. Serra has been an active member of the Board of Trustees since late 1999. He encouraged the library to invest funds in the
Local
Government Investment Pool (LGIP), a safe, accessible financial vehicle used
by many municipalities. This resulted in a 1200% increase in the library's
interest budget line.
