During the pandemic, DC Public Library executive director Richard Reyes-Gavilan got emails from strangers and neighbors would stop him on the street.
As libraries across the city became central hubs for tests and vaccine distribution, residents and strangers alike thanked him for the essential role that the branches played. The libraries, they’d tell Reyes-Gavilan, were close and trustworthy sources for potentially life-saving information.
That feedback was among the most fulfilling he’s received to date in his professional career, he said.
Now, the District’s library system is getting recognized for those efforts and the other programs it offers to connect with local communities. On Tuesday, the Institute of Museum and Library Services awarded D.C. public libraries the 2024 National Medal for Museum and Library Service.
It’s the nation’s highest honor, and one Reyes-Gavilan compared to a lifetime achievement award.
“This award is may be one of the great testaments to why people who may not be engaged with their library currently should rethink that proposition,” Reyes-Gavilan said. “Stop by their local library or come visit us online and experience something that they would not have guessed they would be getting from their library.”
The award isn’t tied to one specific initiative, but instead recognizes the library system’s community contributions as a whole, Reyes-Gavilan said.
During the pandemic, the library system worked with the city’s Department of Health to distribute 1.3 million COVID-19 tests “to residents at a time where people weren’t doing a lot else but coming to the library to get those kits,” Reyes-Gavilan said.
In the wake of the Black Lives Matter demonstrations, the library system put together programming that “basically uplifted Black stories.” Lecture speakers, such as Angela Davis, and art exhibits from people, such as Alma Thomas, made that possible.
The library system also has an adult learning department, which works with adults who are learning to read or use technology. It uses exhibits, such as “Up from the People,” to provide guests with fresh perspectives on D.C. history.
“We’ve really done lots of things that speak to the amazing stories of local Washington, D.C.,” Reyes-Gavilan said.
D.C.’s library system is one of 10 award recipients.
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