The Stavros Niarchos Foundation and the Charles H. Revson Foundation announced the five winners of the 2nd annual NYC Neighborhood Library Awards, held on May 20th, 2015. The 2nd annual event celebrated the crucial role of local libraries in serving New York City’s diverse communities. The winners emerged from more than 13,000 nominations by New Yorkers, who nominated every single branch in New York City’s three library systems: the Brooklyn Public Library; Queens Library; and the New York Public Library, which operates branches in the Bronx, Manhattan, and Staten Island. The winners are Langston Hughes Library, Mott Haven Library, New Lots Library, Parkchester Library, and Stapleton Library.

The five winners each received $20,000 at an awards ceremony in midtown Manhattan. They were selected from 10 finalists by a distinguished panel of independent judges: acclaimed authors Maira Kalman, Jonathan Safran Foer, and Jacqueline Woodson; Susan Hildreth, former Director of the Institute of Museum and Library Services; Dutton Children’s Books publisher Julie Strauss-Gabel, and Maya Wiley, Counsel to Mayor Bill de Blasio.

Council Member Cumbo (Brooklyn), Council Member Ferreras (Queens), Council Member Johnson (Manhattan), Council Member Lander (Brooklyn), Council Member Miller (Queens), Council Member Palma (Bronx), and Majority Leader Van Bramer (Queens) attended the ceremony and presented finalist awards to each of their respective local branches. Each council member spoke about the impact of the library in the community and presented a finalist award to its local branch.

In addition to the five winners of this year’s NYC Neighborhood Library Awards, the other five finalists were presented with checks for $10,000. Those five were: Cambria Heights Library, Clinton Hill Library, Jefferson Market Library, Sunnyside Library, and Windsor Terrace Library.

For more details about the winning libraries and the 2nd Annual NYC Neighborhood Library Awards, click here.