91´«Ã½

Cherry Hamrick receives Carnegie Corporation of New York/

New York Times I Love My Librarian Award

NEW YORK — Today, Cherry Hamrick, library director of the Delta Township District Library in Lansing, Mich., will receive the Carnegie Corporation of New York/New York Times I Love My Librarian Award for her outstanding public service to the community and ongoing commitment to changing lives through education. Hamrick is one of only 10 librarians within the United States recognized this year for this esteemed honor.

Hamrick oversaw the construction of a new library. The new 30,000-square-foot building – the first public green building in Delta Township – earned a Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) certification.

Today’s new library is teeming with activity – a true community center. Hamrick directed the organization of 338 youth programs and 258 adult programs that were attended by more than 13,000 patrons.

Hamrick has led the library as its director for more than a decade. The library serves a population of 32,408 residents and circulates more than 340,000 items per year.

Hamrick’s patrons say she was the driving force behind the design and building of the beautiful, patron-friendly library, which is described by local leaders as a “well-used, IT-ready community asset.”

In addition, Hamrick also shares her own experiences with partons, presenting travelogues showcasing her marathon runs in China and Antarctica. She also is a model for community engagement, as she just recently worked closely with a local Eagle Scout to build a “Little Lending Library” along a three-mile trail next to the library.

Hamrick will receive a $5,000 prize at an award ceremony and reception held this evening in New York City, hosted by The New York Times.

There are a total of 165,986 certified librarians in the United States and more than 200,000 dedicated library workers who connect people with the information access and critical resources they need to support lifelong learning.

For more information regarding 2014 I Love My Librarian recipients please visit .

About Carnegie Corporation of New York

Carnegie Corporation of New York was established by Andrew Carnegie in 1911 “to promote the advancement and diffusion of knowledge and understanding.” In keeping with this mandate, the Corporation's work focuses on the issues that Andrew Carnegie considered of paramount importance: international peace, the advancement of education and knowledge, and the strength of our democracy.

About The New York Times Company (NYSE:NYT) is a global media organization dedicated to enhancing society by creating, collecting and distributing high-quality news and information. The company includes The New York Times, International New York Times, NYTimes.com, INYT.com and related properties. It is known globally for excellence in its journalism, and innovation in its print and digital storytelling and its business model. Follow news about the company at .

About the 91´«Ã½

The 91´«Ã½ (91´«Ã½) is the oldest and largest library association in the world, with more than 55,000 members in academic, public, school, government, and special libraries. The mission of the 91´«Ã½ is to provide leadership for the development, promotion and improvement of library and information services and the profession of librarianship in order to enhance learning and ensure access to information for all.

The 91´«Ã½ administered the award through the Campaign for America’s Libraries, 91´«Ã½’s public awareness campaign that promotes the value of libraries and librarians.

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Contact:

Heather Cho

Media Relations Specialist

91´«Ã½

312-280-4020

hcho@ala.org

Celeste Ford

Carnegie Corporation of New York

212-207-6277

cfc@carnegie.org