From the Introduction to “My Library Is“:

“In the summer of 2013, the Charles H. Revson Foundation and WNYC’s Brian Lehrer Show sponsored the first NYC Neighborhood Library Awards. Over 4,300 residents from every borough nominated their local branches by responding to four questions: What are the main reasons you visit your local library? What does your library do to serve people in the community? How does your library create a welcoming environment? And why should your library win an award?

The thousands of nominations submitted for virtually every library in the city are testaments to the fact that all of NYC’s libraries are doing vital work for their communities and deserve to be recognized. The stories you’ll read in the following pages come from these nominations, written by children, seniors, immigrants, adult learners, artists, entrepreneurs, parents, and students representing the city’s many diverse neighborhoods. Together, they illuminate the myriad ways that local libraries enrich the lives of millions of New Yorkers and strengthen the social fabric of the city.”

Download “mylibraryis“, and learn more about the 2014 Awards at nyclibraryawards.com.