The John Cotton Dana Award is considered one of the most prestigious in the library marketing and public relations field. Out of eight winners this year, two area libraries - Lawrence Public Library and Mid-Continent Public Library - were recognized. According to an American Library Association (ALA) release, the award, distributed each year since 1946, was named for librarian John Cotton Dana:
the father of the modern library, credited with helping transition libraries from reading rooms to community centers...JCD submissions include strategic library communication campaigns...rebranding efforts, promoting unique archives, awareness campaigns and community partnerships.
In Lawrence, local artists competed to design a week’s worth of trading cards for a Banned Books Week celebration at the Lawrence Public Library. The imagery was inspired by banned books and authors, ranging from Charles Darwin to Kurt Vonnegut.
The Mid-Continent Public Library, serving Clay, Platte, and Jackson Counties in Missouri, developed a rebranding campaign, around the idea of “access” to help change public perception of libraries. Library cards were replaced by “access passes.”
Each of the eight winners will receive a $10,000 grant and a plaque in June at a ceremony at the ALA Annual Conference in Chicago.
