Vaughan public library board wins prestigious Joyce Cunningham Award

Yorkregion.com
January 11, 2019
Melanie Alderfer-Mowat

The Vaughan public library board is this year’s recipient of the Ontario Library Association’s Joyce Cunningham Award. Also known as the Public Library Board of the Year Award, it is presented to a public library board that's demonstrated a high level of collaboration and innovation to produce outstanding results.

“Our board is composed of local, highly creative individuals sharing a belief that public libraries play a fundamental role in shaping, building and enhancing communities,” said Margie Singleton, CEO of Vaughan Public Libraries.

Board chair Devender Sandhu said, “I’m extremely proud of receiving the award on behalf of this passionate group of extraordinary Vaughan public library board members.”

Vaughan Mayor Maurizio Bevilacqua, who supported the library board’s nomination, said, “The Vaughan Public Library Board has worked collaboratively to ensure that Vaughan libraries continue to provide the highest level of services in keeping with the pace of our fast-growing municipality. Through forward-thinking and co-operation, the board oversaw the opening of three new branches in four years and have set the direction to develop three more. The new facilities have improved access to services in various parts of the city, and enabled and empowered individuals to take advantage of countless opportunities to ignite their imagination, increase their knowledge, and develop their personal and professional growth.

“The libraries in Vaughan are admired across the province -- award-winning, innovative and accessible -- and welcome more than 2.8 million visitors every year. In our recent Citizen Satisfaction Survey, Vaughan Public Libraries received a 96 per cent satisfaction rate,” added Bevilacqua. “The City of Vaughan is fortunate to have many compassionate citizens, like the members of the Vaughan public library board, who give their time to help make the community an even better place.”

The award will be presented at the Public Library Award Gala, on Thursday, Jan. 31, during the Ontario Library Association's annual Super Conference in Toronto.

About the Joyce Cunningham Award

Given out annually since 2016, this award is presented to a public library board (or two public library boards that participated in a collaborative effort) that has demonstrated a high level of collaboration and innovation to produce outstanding results. For more information, including a definition of a high-performance public library board and characteristics, please visit the Ontario Library Association website.

Vaughan Public Libraries

Home to one of the 15 coolest libraries in Canada, according to Chatelaine magazine, Vaughan Public Libraries (VPL) offers 10 welcoming destinations that educate, excite and empower the community. With more than 2.5 million visitors annually, VPL is one of the City of Vaughan’s top leisure and information destinations, with a collection of more than 500,000 resources, an assortment of technology, and thousands of programs and events. You can enjoy the incredible array of content everywhere -- in the library, at home and on a variety of devices. Visit www.vaughanpl.info for more information and to subscribe to the library's e-newsletter.