Cleveland librarian selected for prestigious national public service honor

Kevin M. Ray recipient of the Carnegie Corporation of New York/

New York Times I Love My Librarian Award

NEW YORK — Today, Kevin M. Ray, children’s librarian with Cleveland Public Library will receive the Carnegie Corporation of New York/New York Times I Love My Librarian Award for his outstanding public service to the community and ongoing commitment to changing lives through education. Ray is one of only 10 librarians within the United States recognized this year for this esteemed honor.

Ray is recognized for his ability to connect with youths through his love for reading and passion for comic books and anime. His unique programs have instilled young people not only with a love of reading, but also writing with his popular Writing Workshop series.

With his visits to the Cuyahoga County Juvenile Detention Center, Ray reaches beyond the walls of his library to provide valuable outreach to those who are detained within its walls. Ray brings approximately 250 books on each visit to the detention center.

Ray introduces youth to genres, takes the time to ask youth what their interests are and cheerfully challenges them to try out a book that’s in circulation within the community. As a result of Ray’s services, the detention center staff started a reading club for 16- and 17-year-olds. The club was so enthusiastically received they formed a second group.

Ray will receive a $5,000 prize at an award ceremony and reception held this evening in New York City, hosted by The New York Times.

As part of the award process, library users nominate librarians in public, school, college, community college and university libraries. This year more than 1,000 library patrons submitted detailed stories regarding how their librarian had an impact on their communities and lives.

There are a total of 165,986 certified librarians in the United States and more than 200,000 dedicated library workers who connect people with the information access and critical resources they need to support lifelong learning.

A complete list of the 2014 I Love My Librarian Award recipients can be found at ilovelibraries.org/ilovemylibrarian.

About Carnegie Corporation of New York

Carnegie Corporation of New York was established by Andrew Carnegie in 1911 “to promote the advancement and diffusion of knowledge and understanding.” In keeping with this mandate, the Corporation's work focuses on the issues that Andrew Carnegie considered of paramount importance: international peace, the advancement of education and knowledge, and the strength of our democracy.

About The New York Times Company

The New York Times Company (NYSE:NYT) is a global media organization dedicated to enhancing society by creating, collecting and distributing high-quality news and information. The company includes The New York Times, International New York Times, NYTimes.com, INYT.com and related properties. It is known globally for excellence in its journalism, and innovation in its print and digital storytelling and its business model. Follow news about the company at @NYTimesComm.

About the American Library Association

The American Library Association (ALA) is the oldest and largest library association in the world, with more than 55,000 members in academic, public, school, government, and special libraries. The mission of the American Library Association is to provide leadership for the development, promotion and improvement of library and information services and the profession of librarianship in order to enhance learning and ensure access to information for all.

The ALA administered the award through the Campaign for America’s Libraries, ALA’s public awareness campaign that promotes the value of libraries and librarians.

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Contact:

Heather Cho

Media Relations Specialist

American Library Association

312-280-4020

hcho@ala.org

Celeste Ford

Carnegie Corporation of New York

212-207-6277

cfc@carnegie.org