Winners Announced: 2026 PR Xchange Awards Competition

The Core PR Xchange Committee is delighted to announce the winners of this year's PR Xchange Awards Competition. This year, we have awarded 28 print winners and 26 electronic winners. Congratulations to those libraries! The PR Xchange Committee is charged with coordinating the annual awards competition, under the direction of the Awards and Scholarships Subcommittee of Core, a division of the American Library Association (ALA).

Winners are listed below by marketing category and then library budget. 

More than 236 entries in print and electronic formats were submitted from over 100 institutions, including public, academic, school, state, and special libraries. Entries were evaluated by a jury of 19 virtual judges. Submissions were assessed based on the quality of content, format, design, creativity, and originality. The jury, which included a group of talented marketing professionals, graphic designers, librarians, and visual artists was very impressed by the innovative work submitted by these libraries. Winning entries will be on display at the PR Xchange Event from 11:30am - 2:30pm on Sat, June 27, 2026, in a meeting room outside the ALA Exhibits Hall, McCormick Place Convention Center, at the ALA Annual Conference in Chicago, IL

Attendees will have the opportunity to view and take home sample promotional materials from libraries across North America.

The PR Xchange Awards ceremony will take place after the PR Xchange Event in the same space from 2:00 - 2:30pm, where this year's co-chairs will distribute award certificates to the winners.

Winners are listed below by marketing category and then library budget. View the slideshow about the winning entries. https://bit.ly/2026-PRX-slideshow    (Not yet available ) 

Print Winners (28 winners)

Advocacy /Fundraising/ Annual Reports, and Strategic Plans (4)

A Year of Innovation: 2025 Texas A&M University Libraries Annual Report
Texas A&M University
($1-$5 million)

CRPL Annual Report 2025
Cedar Rapids Public Library
($5-$10 million)

2024-2025 Annual Report
Hartford Public Library 
($10 - $15 million)

2024-2025 Impact Report
University of California, Santa Barbara Library
 (over $15 million)

Exhibits (3)

100 Years Display
Plainfield Area Public Library 
($1 - $5 million)

Peanuts Exhibit
Worcester Public Library
($5-$10 million)

Giant Bugs at Main
Columbus Metropolitan Library
(Over $15 million)

External Communications (5)

Year End Recap Newsletter
River Valley District Library
(Under $1 million)

Library Program Guide: Fall 2024/Winter 2025
Lakewood Public Library 
($1-$5 million)

OPEN+

Cedar Rapids Public Library

($5-$10 million)

Storyline Fall 2025

Oak Park Public Library

($10-$15 million)

Unfold - Summer 2025
St. Joe County Public Library

(Over $15 million)

Materials Promoting Collections, Services, Resources (6)

Tough Topics
Regina Library
(Under $1 million) *tie

TP Talks
College of Saint Benedict & Saint John's University Libraries & Archives
(Under $1 million) *tie

Nothing to be Afraid of Bookmarks
Meriam Library, California State University, Chico
 ($1 - $5 million)

Youth Bookmarks
North Vancouver District Public Library
($5-$10 million)

A Recipe for Connection: LSU Libraries’ Holiday Card
LSU Libraries
($10-$15 million)

Kislak Collection Visitor Gift Set
University of Miami Libraries
(Over $15 million)

Reading Programs (5)

Summer Book Bingo
Regina Library
(Under $1 million)

Summer Reading Brochure
Cranston Public Library

($1-$5 million)

One Book, One Community Guide
Geneva Public Library
($5-$10 million)

Branch Out
Vernon Area Public Library District
($10-$15 million)

Winter Reading 2025 Log
Greenville County Library System
(Over $15 million)

Special Events (5)

Library Card Sign-up Month Photo Op
Round Lake Area Public Library
($1-$5 million) *tie

Besa: Muslims Who Saved Jews During the Holocaust
Lakewood Public Library
($1-$5 million) *tie

North Shore Writers Festival Program
North Vancouver District Public Library

($5-$10 million)

Long Night Against Procrastination Pokemon Card
William H. Hannon Library
($10-$15 million)

Fandomonium program brochure
Alachua County Library District
(Over $15 million)

Electronic Winners (26 winners)

Advocacy /Fundraising/ Annual Reports, and Strategic Plans (5)

NOBO Health & Wellness Plan
Northborough Free Library
(Under $1 million)

2025 Year in Review
Davidson College Library
($1-$5 million)

Celebrating 60 Video
North Vancouver District Public Library
($5 - $10 million)

Library Fans Video Seroes
William H. Hannon Library
($10-$15 million)

Year in Reflection: 2024–2025 - Carnegie Mellon University Libraries
Carnegie Mellon University Libraries
(Over $15 million)

External Communications (5)

The Hirons Library Blog
The Hirons Library
(Under $1 million)

July-August 2025 Summer Reading Print Calendar
Northern Onondaga Public Library
($1 - $5 million)

Free To Be You Spring 2025 Mailer
Des Plaines Public Library
($5 - $10 million)

HEPL's May - June 2025 Discover Guide
Hamilton East Public Library
($10 - $15 million)

Page
Calgary Public Library
(Over $15 million)

Materials Promoting Collections, Services, Resources (5)

Author Talks Promotional Graphic
The Hirons Library
(Under $1 million)

Long Island Library Archives & Museums
Long Island Library Resources Council
($1 - $5 million)

Gen Z Writes the Marketing Script
Lindenhurst Memorial Library
($5 - $10 million)

New Library Stickers Teaser Trailer
William H. Hannon Library
($10 - $15 million)

Sabías que con tu tarjeta de la biblioteca Sno-Isle puedes llevarte una laptop con internet a casa… totalmente GRATIS? (Video)
Sno-Isle Libraries
(Over $15 million)

Reading Programs (3)

LML Summer Reading 2025 Promotional Video
Lindenhurst Memorial Library
($5 - $10 million)

Extraordinary Earth Animated Logo
Weber County Library
($10 - $15 million)

Color Our World with Anaheim Public Library
Anaheim Public Library
(Over $15 million)

Special Events (5)

Art & Feminism Wikipedia Edit A Thon Flyer
Cushwa Leighton Library
(Under $1 million)

1970s Disco Party - A Signature Event of Monroe Free Library’s “Decades” Series
Monroe Free Library
($1 - $5 million)

Winter Wonder Library in the Makerspace

Rochester Hills Public Library
($5 - $10 million)

MSU Library 2025 Trout Lecture Flyer

Montana State University Library
($10 - $15 million)

Get Ready with Me for Storytime Reel

Naperville Public Library
(Over $15 million)

Virtual Exhibits (3)

Memorial Library Makerspace Maker Cart Watercolor Bookmarks
Memorial Library, SUNY Cortland
(Under $1 million)

“Mapping Victory” in World War II

Texas A&M University
($1 - $5 million)

Native Plants Exhibit
Longwood Public Library
($5 - $10 million)

All libraries are invited to mail in their promotional materials (30-50 copies) to be shared with colleagues at the PR Xchange Event, regardless of whether you won an award this year. Approximately 1,000 ALA Annual Conference attendees visit the PR Xchange event each year. Download mailing labels

For more information about the PR Xchange Committee, please contact :

Mark Aaron Polger and Holly Flynn, co-chairs
2026 PR Xchange Awards Competition
2025-2026 PR Xchange Committee
Awards and Scholarships Sub-committee
Core: Leadership, Infrastructure, Futures

American Library Association
https://ala.org/core
questions@prxchange-awards.org

About Core: Leadership, Infrastructure, Futures
Core: Leadership, Infrastructure, Futures is the national association that advances the profession of librarians and information providers in central roles of leadership and management, collections and technical services, and technology. Our mission is to cultivate and amplify the collective expertise of library workers in core functions through community building, advocacy, and learning. Follow us on our Blog, Instagram, or LinkedIn.