Central Mississippi Regional Library System
honored for Back in the Fold Award
New awards
program by Unique Management Services celebrates impactful libraries
Brandon, MS (October
2021) – Central Mississippi Regional Library System has been honored for its exceptional impact
on the communities they serve. CMRLS earned the recognition through a new award
program from Unique Management Services, the world’s leading library material
recovery and patron communication services company. The awards celebrate
impactful libraries that provide vital services, protect public assets and keep
patrons in good standing.
The library system
was awarded for its work to return a high percentage of patrons to good
standing with the Back in the Fold honor. By bringing patrons ‘back in the
fold,’ the library ensures continued use of its vital services and supports
equity and accessibility in its community.
“All libraries
deserve recognition for their unprecedented response this past year to provide
vital services to their patrons and communities during the COVID-19 pandemic,”
said Unique President and CEO Nicole Atkins. “Unique developed this award
program as a small way to say thank you, celebrating libraries and librarians
like CMRLS for their constant dedication and meaningful impacts.”
Libraries face a
difficult road ahead – already underfunded and looking at further drops due to
pandemic-related budget cuts and reliance on city and county use taxes impacted
by COVID-19. Recovering lost or unreturned books is more important now than
ever to maintain budgets, limit the cost of material replacement and protect taxpayer
dollars. As libraries evolve to maintain their collections as philosophies
shift about fines, keeping patrons in good standing and securing the timely
return of materials is essential to ensure access and equity.
"The public library is one of
America's greatest institutions where everyone is welcome and has access. The
CMRLS mission is to be a strong community partner that provides resources,
services, and programs to foster creativity, curiosity, and lifelong learning.
We value our relationship with our patrons and want them to always remember
that the public library is one of their most valuable community investments.
Bringing patrons "back to the fold" is a goal we strive to reach
everyday through our materials, services and programs." said Mara V. Polk,
Director of Central Mississippi Regional Library System.
Winners were
chosen by Unique’s team who partner with more than 1350 libraries across the
country to effectively recover materials while preserving patron goodwill.
Libraries were categorized by size, region and volume to determine the
top-performing partners who made the biggest impacts on their communities.
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