91´«Ã½

Lynn Hancock Hurt recipient of the Carnegie Corporation of New York/

New York Times I Love My Librarian Award

NEW YORK — Today, Lynn Hancock Hurt, coordinator of Library Services for Brown Library at Virginia Western Community College, 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. Hurt is one of only 10 librarians within the United States recognized this year for this esteemed honor.

Hurt has transformed the Brown Library into a positive force at the community college by modernizing the facility to meet the needs of 21^st century learners. Efforts began from the ground up, as she worked with contractors on the new library renovation, while continuing to serve the school’s students, faculty and staff. Improvements include a technology center and collaborative study spaces.

Maintaining the vision of the college as a “student-oriented center for lifelong learning,” Hurt is known for her ability to identify ways the library can engage more with student life, and is an active member of the book selection committee for “Roanoke Valley Reads,” a community-wide reading experience that promotes reading on campus.

Hurt also works to provide outreach to traditional and distance-learning students who previously have had little library interaction. One creative way was by producing a fun infomercial explaining the library resources and services available to all students.

Hurt 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.

As part of the award process, library users nominate librarians in public, school, college, community college and university libraries. This year more than 1,000 library patrons submitted detailed stories regarding how their librarian had an impact on their communities and lives.

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.

A complete list of the 2014 I Love My Librarian Award recipients can be found at .

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