Friends of the Library bestow Eric Lashley Award

Friends of the Georgetown Public Library recently honored library staff member Gloria Powers with the 2022 Eric Lashley Award.

The award is given annually to a library employee who proposes an “outstanding program that the library can provide to the community with a maximum budget of $1,000,” said Ricki Mc-Millian, Friends board member and publicity chair.

The award is named after former library director Eric Lashley, who retired in 2020.

Ms. Powers submitted a proposal to create “Book Club in a Bag” kits for Spanish speakers. She said the kits would focus on reaching an adult population that has lost the habit of reading in their routine. They would also promote creating book clubs for Spanish speakers.

“The kits would focus on those who have not discovered the magic of books, but also on reaching an adult population who lost their habit to read in their routine,” Ms. Powers said.

“Most of the Spanish speakers in our city feel lonely, and that reminds us how important books are in unfavorable circumstances and in misfortune. That is happening not only to our (Latino) population, but other minorities.”

The library’s existing Book Club in a Bag program allows a book club to check out multiple copies of a book for the entire club. Each bag contains 10 copies of the book, an author biography, book reviews, and discussion questions. A bag can be checked out for six weeks, up to one year in advance.

Book Club in a Bag information is available at https://library.georgetown. org/book-club-in-a-bag/#:~:text=Book%20Club%20in%20a%20Bag%20 is%20a%20program%20that%20allows, reserve%20a%20title%2C%20 click%20here.

Gloria