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Denver Public Library’s After School program, designed to provide an interesting and useful place for young people to go after school and to provide leadership opportunities for teenagers, has been selected to receive the annual Urban Libraries Council (ULC)/Highsmith Award of Excellence. The $1000 award will be presented on Sunday, June 28 at the annual ULC Leadership Breakfast held during the American Library Association’s Annual Conference in Washington, D.C.
Created to give at-risk children and teenagers an educational and fun place to go when school lets out, the Denver Public Library After School Program is an alternative to unsupervised time on the streets that can lead to danger, criminal activity or dropping out of school. The After School Program also includes a component to give neighborhood teenagers the opportunity to serve as mentors and program assistants, increasing their self-esteem and job skills.
“We were impressed that the program provided a wide variety of activities twice a week for children from 6 to 13, from homework help to games, crafts, science and nature activities,” explained Award Committee Chair Barbara Gubbin. “As a model for other urban libraries, we particularly noted how the program was tailored to eleven very different communities within Denver.”
The After School Program serves some 15,000 children each year, one-sixth of all Denver school-age children. “When school lets out, public libraries that succeed in attracting and engaging children can have tremendous impact in the lives of children, families and their communities,” said Dr. Rick Ashton, City Librarian, Denver Public Library. “Our approach is one that can be replicated in many different ways. The most important thing is to do something to actively involve kids at the library.”
Criteria for the ULC/Highsmith Award of Excellence include that the program fill an urban need, can be replicated easily, is cost effective and low in budget, and has demonstrable results. The Award is available only to ULC member libraries. In 1995, Highsmith Inc., Fort Atkinson, WI, became the corporate sponsor for the award.
Applications for next year’s Award of Excellence, which is open to ULC member libraries only, are available from the ULC office, 1603 Orrington Avenue, Suite 1080, Evanston, IL 60201. ULC can be reached at 847/866-9999 (phone), 847/866-9989 (fax), or ulc@gpl.glenview.lib.il.us (e-mail). Founded in 1971, ULC offers advocacy, research, consulting, and training and support services to its members. Membership is open to library vendors and public libraries serving populations of 50,000 or more in a standard metropolitan statistical area. |
