Library Journal's annual Best Small Library in America Award, cosponsored by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, was created in 2005 to discover and reward exemplary work by libraries serving populations under 25,000, and to showcase these best practices to provide a replicable case study for their peers. In collaboration with the Association for Rural and Small Libraries and Library Journal, we are pleased to host this webinar featuring the two most recent award winners, 2013 Best Small Library in America: Southern Area Public Library and 2014 Best Small Library in America: Pine River Library. Join us to learn how these two libraries have developed creative programming, extensive partnerships, and innovative and responsive services so they can identify, meet, and even anticipate the ever-evolving needs of their communities.

Presented by: Amy Dodson, director, Pine River Library, CO; Mary Beth Stenger, director, Southern Area Public Library, WV; and Meredith Schwartz, senior editor, News and Features, Library Journal.

Access Recording

• View Recording (You will be prompted to login to our free Course Catalog.)

Webinar Attachments

• View slides (pdf)
  
• View chat (xls) 

Related Resources and Links

• Webinar recap
• 2013 Best Small Library in America: Southern Area Public Library
• 2014 Best Small Library in America: Pine River Library
• Southern Area Public Library and Facebook page
• Signature Events for Small Libraries (webinar archive of presentation mentioned by Mary)
• Presentations by Mary and her library
  
  • Iowa Small Libraries Online Conference
  • Nebraska Library Commission - NCompass Live
• Pine River Library
• Library Journal article on switching from Dewey to BISAC (Book Industry Standards and Communications), The Dewey Dilema
  
• Previous year's award winners:
  2005: Haines Borough Public Library, Alaska
  2006: Milanof-Schock Library, Mount Joy, Pennsylvania
  2007: Grand County Public Library, Utah
  2008: Chelsea District Library, Michigan, and WebJunction webinar handouts from Chelsea
  2009: Union County Carnegie Library, South Carolina
  2010: Glen Carbon Centennial Library, Illinois, and WebJunction webinar with Anne M. Hughes
  2011: Naturita Community Library, Colorado, and WebJunction webinar with Naturita
  2012: Independence Public Library, Kansas, and WebJunction webinar with Independence
  2013: Southern Area Public Library, West Virginia, and WebJunction webinar with SAPL
  2014: Pine River Library, Colorado, and WebJunction webinar with Pine River
  2015: Belgrade Community Library, Montana, and WebJunction webinar with Belgrade