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NOVI — The Novi Public Library and Director Julie Farkas received an award from the Michigan Association for Media in Education Nov. 10 for their efforts to work with the Novi Community School District.
“Our library is amazing, and they do such great stuff for us,” said Novi High School librarian Bethany Bratney.
Farkas and members of her library staff were presented with a plaque at the President’s Award Gala during the annual MAME state conference, which was held at the Kensington Hotel in Ann Arbor. The award recognizes exemplary collaboration between school librarians and a community member or organization not affiliated with the school district in implementing effective connections that benefit the school library programming and/or students in the school library setting, according to a press release.
“We were very excited and honored (to receive the award),” said Farkas. “We have a wonderful relationship with our school district. I think what I appreciate most is that they are always willing to hear new ideas. Their doors have always been open to us to find ways where we can partner together and better. Our focus is always the students. So, whenever we can do that, it’s always been a win-win.”
The librarians at the Novi Community School District nominated Farkas and the library for the award. Bratney said that NCSD librarians had wanted to nominate Farkas and the Novi Public Library for the award in 2020, but there was no ceremony that year because of COVID-19. During COVID, Bratney said, the Novi Public Library did even more stuff for Novi Community School District students. According to Bratney, every kid in the district was given a school-issued library card so the students would have online access to the NPL resources.
“It’s an idea that has been going for quite some time because of this partnership,” said Bratney. “It’s been building for a while, but then after all these additional things that we started working on together during the pandemic because of all our changing needs, it was a no-brainer. They are by far the strongest community partner that I work with.”
Bratney said that Farkas initiated the collaboration by reaching out to her when she started with the district 14 years ago. Since then, the two organizations have coordinated many projects together. This includes events such as Battle of the Books, Community Read Author Events, hosting coffee hour sessions with the superintendent and sharing resources like the Michigan eLibrary Catalog with the school.
“Under the direction of Julie Farkas, the Novi Public Library has been a dynamic community partner for the Novi School Library programs for over a decade,” Bratney said in a press release. Bratney also is co-chair of the MAME Awards and Citations Committee.
Farkas said it is important to her to partner with the school as the student population is very important to the library. Being able to partner and serve with the school district goes a long way to ensure that the library is meeting the wants and needs of its readers.
“I think that it’s an integral part, having that relationship (with the school),” said Farkas. “I can tell you from past experiences school districts are not always open to (a relationship with the library), and this district has always been open to resource sharing, partnerships, sponsorships and collaboration. And I think you get so much more done.”
MAME is a professional organization that has a membership of approximately 400 school librarians and educators representing hundreds of Michigan school districts, universities and educational programs across Michigan, according to a press release.
