Library earns state award

At the 107th annual Montana Library Association conference held recently in Helena, the Whitefish Community Library received the 2019 Excellent Library Service Award from the Montana State Library Commission.

The Whitefish Community Library has received this award for excellence seven years in a row.

“This is a collaborative effort between the Whitefish Community Library staff, Trustees and Library Association as we strive to bring excellent library service to our Whitefish community,” said Joey Kositzky, director of the library.

The award recognizes libraries for achieving excellence in serving their communities by exceeding the essential Montana Public Library Standards. These standards define “excellence” in 13 categories, including collection development, information access, policies, planning and evaluation, fiscal management, board accomplishments, continuing education for staff and trustees and outreach to the community.

“The Montana State Library Commission is pleased to recognize Montana’s excellent libraries with the Excellent Library Service Award,” said Commission Chair Aaron LaFromboise. “Providing excellent library services in Montana during these challenging times is no small thing. These libraries have shown their commitment to serving Montanans. The Commission congratulates ELSA-winning libraries’ trustees, library staff, and communities for their achievement and commitment to excellence.”

The Montana State Library helps all organizations, communities, and Montanans thrive through excellent library resources and services.