Six North American Libraries Named 2025 Top Innovators by the Urban Libraries Council
Dec 17, 2025
Prince William Public Libraries (VA), Dayton Metro Library (OH), Gwinnett County Public Library (GA), Pasadena Public Library (CA), DC Public Library, and the Pioneer Library System (OK) recognized for their exemplary programs
Washington, DC – The Urban Libraries Council (ULC), North America’s leading nonprofit for urban libraries, has named six public libraries as “Top Innovators” for 2025 as part of its annual Innovations Initiative recognizing exemplary library programs.
Honorees are awarded for the originality of their work, demonstrating measurable outcomes, and showing the potential for other libraries to replicate and implement similar programs.
The “Top Innovators,” pulled from the more than 180 library projects in six categories submitted this year, were:
- Advocacy & Awareness: Finding a Way to Slay Among Gen Z from Prince William Public Libraries (VA)
- Education: Children & Adults: Reading Railroad from Dayton Metro Library (OH)
- Equity & Inclusion: A New Library, An Untold Story from Gwinnett County Public Library (GA)
- Health & Wellness: Building Resilience After the Eaton Fire from Pasadena Public Library (CA) – first-time winner
- Library Operations & Management: Creating a Safe, Welcoming, & Healthy Library from DC Public Library
- Workforce & Economic Development: Collaborating to Spark a Change from Pioneer Library System (OK)
“The Innovations Initiative highlights the best of what libraries across North America offer their communities,” said Brooks Rainwater, President and CEO of the Urban Libraries Council. “In a year that has proved especially challenging for libraries, this year's winners, honorable mentions, and nominees all demonstrate our urban libraries are as important, resilient, and forward-thinking as ever.”
Complete List of 2025 Top Innovators and Honorable Mentions
There is one top innovator and one honorable mention for each award category.
AWARD CATEGORY | TOP INNOVATORS | HONORABLE MENTIONS |
Advocacy and Awareness | Prince William Public Libraries (VA) | Halifax Public Libraries (NS) |
Education: Children and Adults | Dayton Metro Library (OH) | Hartford Public Library (CT) |
Equity and Inclusion | Gwinnett County Public Library (GA) | Kitchener Public Library (ON) |
Health and Wellness | Pasadena Public Library (CA) | Sacramento Public Library (CA) |
Library Operations and Management | DC Public Library (DC) | Saint Paul Public Library (MN) |
Workforce and Economic Development | Pioneer Library System (OK) | Hennepin County Library (MN) |
For nearly 15 years, ULC’s Innovations Initiative has recognized and raised the visibility of cutting-edge programs, strategies, tools, techniques and ideas from ULC’s entire membership of nearly 200 libraries from across the US and Canada. The 2025 Innovations Initiative is proudly supported by EBSCO, the premier supporter of public library innovation.
Information about the winning projects, honorable mentions, and every submission is available on the ULC website at www.urbanlibraries.org/innovations. Video footage and photos are available for the Top Innovators.
Watch the 2025 Innovations Winners Showacase:
