Randolph library leaders win top state awards

Walker McCrary III, Dr. Frances Jones and Ross Holt display
their N.C. Public Library Directors Association awards
at the association's banquet on December 5 in Winston-Salem

ASHEBORO – The North Carolina Public Library Directors Association (NCPLDA) has recognized three Randolph County library leaders with its top personal awards.

Library Director Ross Holt was named 2018-2019 Library Director of the Year; Dr. Frances Jones was named Library Friend of the Year; and Walker McCrary III received the Benefactor’s Award. The three were recognized at the NCPLDA annual meeting and awards banquet on December 5 in Winston-Salem.

Ross Holt, Director of the Year

Holt was nominated by Jennifer Sackett, director of the Lincoln County Public Library, and Michael Roche, director of the Rockingham Public  Library, “[b]ecause of his commitment to public libraries, commitment to developing future leaders and willingness to serve whenever asked....”

Noting that Holt has served as president of both NCPLDA and the North Carolina Library Association, Roche and Sackett cited his longtime support for NCPLDA legislative advocacy activities; his service on the NC LIVE Resource Advisory Committee, and his work with NCPLDA on a series of continuing education programs entitled “SO! You Want to be a Public Library Director,” designed to prepare librarians for future leadership roles.

Dr. Frances Jones, Library Friend of the Year

Jones, who currently serves as Friends of the Library president, received the Library Friend of the Year Award. The award recognizes the impact a library Friend has had on library service in their community.

Holt, in his nomination of Jones, said that she rightly could be named Friend of the Century — or Friend of the Millennium.

Jones was recognized for pioneering Randolph Books for Babies, which has delivered over 1,500 reading-themed care packages to families of newborns at Randolph Health; carrying out the first Friends charitable giving campaign, which has raised over $32,000 for library programming and Friends activities; and working tirelessly to bring acclaimed  speakers and performers to the community.

Benefactors Award to Walker McCrary III

The Benefactor’s Award went to McCrary for his championing of the Mobile Library project. McCrary is president of the Acme-McCrary and Sapona Foundation Inc., which provided a five-year, $15,000 per year gift to support the new service.

With the foundation shifting its focus to early childhood literacy, McCrary in late 2017 contacted the library to find out if any such initiatives were planned. It was at that time that library staff were formulating the mobile library concept.

The McCrary gift led to support from the Asheboro Public Library Foundation Inc. The two foundations have fully funded the highly successful project.

The Acme-McCrary and Sapona Foundation also supports Randolph Books for Babies.