TOLEDO, Ohio — The Toledo Lucas County Public Library will join 182 other institutions as a winner of a prestigious national award, one only eight other organizations received this year.
TLCPL received a National Medal from the Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS), an honor for which only 15 U.S. libraries were finalists and four received.
IMLS, a national organization dedicated to supporting U.S. archival institutions, began issuing the award annually in 1996. The National Medal is the highest award offered to a library or museum for contributions to their communities, according to the IMLS website.
In 2023, they awarded the medal to four libraries and four museums, of which TLCPL was one.
"To the IMLS judges, the Toledo Library stood out because they saw no matter what our community needs, we found a way to deliver those services," a TLCPL spokesperson said in a video announcement Tuesday.
Congresswoman Marcy Kaptur (OH-09) nominated TLCPL for the award, citing what she felt were the institution's contributions to Lucas County and beyond.
"At a time when libraries and librarians nationwide are under attack, with efforts to ban books, restrict free speech, and endanger these upstanding civil servants, I am proud to see a community staple such as the Toledo Lucas County Public Library receive national recognition for their excellence,” Kaptur said in a statement.
In a press release, TLCPL Executive Director Jason Kucsma expressed what the award meant to library staff and community members.
“Being placed among exceptional libraries and museums across the United States acknowledges our staff’s extraordinary commitment to providing exemplary library services to Toledo and Lucas County and reflects the region’s collective dedication to innovation, collaboration, and community engagement," Kucsma said.
The full list of winners, includes the following institutions, one of which is also in Ohio:
Libraries:
- Kuskokwim Consortium Library (Bethel, AK)
- LA County Library (Los Angeles, CA)
- Long Branch Free Public Library (Long Branch, NJ)
- Toledo Lucas County Public Library (Toledo, OH)
Museums:
- Center of Science and Industry (COSI) (Columbus, OH)
- Jim Gatchell Memorial Museum (Buffalo, WY)
- Museum of Discovery and Science (Fort Lauderdale, FL)
- Riverside Art Museum (Riverside, CA)
An award ceremony for the honor was held at the White House in July.
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