City of Bartlesville Literacy Coordinator Karen Kerr-McGraw has earned the 2020 Oklahoma Library Association Special Projects Award.

This prestigious award is issued to an individual who has played a key role in a noteworthy library project in their community. Kerr-McGraw has been the literacy coordinator at the Bartlesville Public Library since 2008, taking over her position in literacy from another community agency that had dissolved.

In a statement, Library Director Shellie McGill said: "Karen took this program and breathed new life into it. Literacy at BPL is a vibrant successful department due to her efforts. By hosting more than 100 programs last year that were needed and of interest to our community, her leadership made the Literacy Division invaluable in our community and phenomenally successful."

McGill said another point of pride for BPL occurred recently during the Covid-19 "open up" period — when most libraries were struggling to open at all — Kerr-McGraw figured out a way to host literacy programs outside, at the new Tower Center at Unity Square green space, all while keeping attendees distanced and safe.

"Karen’s programs kept benefiting the community even during these tough times," McGill said. "When someone’s efforts benefit the community as much as Karen’s has, it is rewarding to see her efforts acknowledged and applauded. Thank you Karen, for your unstoppable efforts in the Literacy arena. The Bartlesville community and our library is lucky to benefit from your stellar efforts. Congratulations on receiving this well-deserved award. We absolutely cannot wait to see what is next."

For more information about BPL's Literacy program, click here.

Photo courtesy: City Beat