Press Release

Melrose Branch Librarian and Staff Honored with Maher Stern Award for Outstanding Service to Bronx Neighborhood

March 20, 1997, New York City -- Demonstrating an exceptional commitment to their South Bronx neighborhood, Melrose Branch Librarian Elissa Glick Webber and her staff today received The New York Public Library's fourth annual Maher Stern Award for Service Excellence. The ceremony took place at the Melrose Branch Library, 910 Morris Avenue, Bronx. Also in attendance were the Library's President, Dr. Paul LeClerc; Elizabeth Rohatyn, Chairman of the Library's Board of Trustees; library staff; and fourth and fifth-grade students from P.S. 156, who sang gospel songs to celebrate the occasion.

Allison Maher Stern, who, with her husband, Leonard Stern, endowed the award for a ten-year period, presented the $1,000 prize to Ms. Webber. The Award, which is used to further enhance the quality of the Branch's service, honors a librarian for excellence in community service and staff team work. All branch librarians and unit supervisors at the Library are eligible.

"Ms. Webber deserves this distinguished recognition for all the wonderful things she has done for her branch," Dr. LeClerc said. "Her skills and dedication as a librarian and community leader have been instrumental in gaining support for such vital educational programming as English for Speakers of Other Languages classes and family literacy programs, all of which have been extremely well attended."

Upon presenting the award, Mrs. Stern remarked, "Ms. Webber and her staff can be found at almost every community-related meeting and in the many neighborhood schools, informing people of the branch's valuable resources. We are thrilled to award her this gift."

Originally from Maryland, Ms. Webber began working at The New York Public Library in February of 1990. She received both her Bachelor's and Master's in Library Science from Florida State University. Her first position was at the Melrose branch, as a young adult librarian. After a year she became the senior young adult librarian at the 96th Street Regional Branch, but returned to Melrose in 1993 to become the branch librarian. She has been there ever since.

Ms. Webber has made great efforts to reach out to the Hispanic community. Since becoming branch librarian at Melrose, she has increased the branch's Spanish-language materials for all age groups and has developed specific programs to meet the needs of the community's Hispanic residents. Ms. Webber has begun taking Spanish classes on her own time to better serve Spanish-speaking patrons.

The teenagers in the community have also benefited greatly from her experience as a young adult librarian. Ms. Webber has continued her active commitment to young adult programs, which are especially important in a neighborhood where few other afterschool activities are available for young adults.

The camaraderie between Ms. Webber and her staff is very evident. Staff members work together on branch programs and help make the collections and resources easier to use and more attractive to patrons. Several have applied to return to Melrose after working elsewhere, a compliment to Ms. Webber given the difficult problems facing the community.

The New York Public Library operates 84 branches and four research centers in the Bronx, Manhattan, and Staten Island.

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