South Bronx Librarian and Staff Recognized for Dynamic Community Service

2004 Maher Stern Award Presented in Ceremony on June 17

New York, NY, June 11, 2004 -- Supervising Branch Librarian Colbert Nembhard and the staff of the Morrisania Branch Library in the Bronx have been chosen to receive The New York Public Library's distinguished Maher Stern Award for Service Excellence. The award ceremony will take place on Thursday, June 17, at 10:00 a.m. at the Morrisania Branch Library, located at 610 East 169th Street, at Franklin Avenue. In attendance will be Dr. Paul LeClerc, President of The New York Public Library; Mary K. Conwell, Director of The Branch Libraries; Allison Maher Stern, Founder of the award; Mr. Nembhard and his staff; and local school children.  

Under the leadership of Mr. Nembhard and his staff, the Morrisania Branch Library, located in the South Bronx, has been transformed into a thriving community center and safe haven. Due to budget constraints, Mr. Nembhard currently serves in the dual capacity of Supervising Branch Librarian and Children's Librarian. In his role as Children's Librarian, Mr. Nembhard consistently arranges the largest number of class visits of any library in the Bronx, meeting with an average of fourteen classes a month. In 2000, Mr. Nembhard was awarded a citation for service excellence to the community by Community Board 3. Collectively, staff members provide a broad range of services, among them promoting the Library's programs at health fairs and attending community meetings.

Allison Maher Stern, who with her husband Leonard Stern established the Award for Service Excellence in 1993, will present the $1,000 prize to Mr. Nembhard. The award, which is used to further enhance Branch Library service, honors a librarian and his or her staff for excellence in community service.  

Mr. Nembhard and his staff schedule a variety of free programs for the large Hispanic and African American population they serve. Children can enjoy special workshops devoted to bookmaking or creating art from recycled objects, lively story hours, and classic films; adults benefit from Click-On computer training programs, English for Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL) classes, and more. The staff worked closely with the 42nd Precinct and teachers from Morris High School to develop the Explorers Club, a group of high school students who meet regularly at the library to learn how to use the electronic resources.  Each summer, in collaboration with the Horticultural Society, children participate in the "Read and Seed" program in which they read and conduct science experiments in the library's garden. As a result, the library has become a treasured resource in the community.

"Colbert Nembhard's leadership and the talents of his wonderful staff have made the Morrisania Branch Library a place that is cherished by the South Bronx community," said Dr. LeClerc. "We are very grateful to Allison Maher Stern and her husband Leonard for so generously providing the Library with this annual opportunity to honor an exemplary librarian."

"The Morrisania Library staff go well beyond the call of duty in their dedication to making the Library accessible to all ages," said Ms. Conwell. "Children come to the Morrisania Branch Library and are exposed to books and learning. Parents attend workshops on how to read to their children. Everyone benefits from the fine work done by these unsung heroes."

"Colbert Nembhard and his staff have taken remarkable steps to connect with the people of this neighborhood," said Mrs. Stern. "They provide an environment in which patrons have access, not only to books and computers, but to the time, knowledge, and expertise of the staff."

"I am honored to receive the Maher Stern Award on behalf of my entire staff," Mr. Nembhard said.  "The Morrisania Branch Library is a ray of hope in this community," he continued. "Many people come to us looking for assistance, and if we can open them up to a world of reading and learning, if we can make a difference in their lives, it makes it all worth while."

The Morrisania Branch Library reopened in November 1997 after undergoing two years of major renovations partially funded by Mrs. Royal H. Durst through The New York Public Library's Adopt-A-Branch Program. Mrs. Durst has continued to provide support for the Branch -- the Durst Family Foundation provided special funding this year for the first series of classes in English for Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL).

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Contact: Debbie Bujosa at 212-704-8600,