Manatee County Library System, best in Florida, naturally

Our belated but enthusiastic congratulations to the Manatee County Public Library System, judged the best in the state. Early this month, the Florida Library Association named our system Library of the Year, given in recognition for demonstrating "outstanding service to the community it serves."

This is a major deal. All libraries in the state, whether an academic, public, special or school library, are eligible. So Manatee County beat out the big universities, whose resources vastly surpass those available here.

One of the considerations in the judging is certainly one where Manatee's library excels: "creativity and/or innovation in programming." Library services manager Ava Ehde and her zealous staff strive to create imaginative experiences and stretch the traditional boundaries of a library.

How good is that staff and programming? Kevin Beach, library operations manager, won the Lifetime Achievement Award, quite the accomplishment, and the system earned the Betty Davis Miller Youth Services Award for the annual Teen Recycled Fashion Show.

There's more. Rocky Bluff Friends of the Library president Doris Pope won the Friends, Foundations and Boards Outstanding Member Award, a reflection of the strong community support for the system.

Kudos to one and all.

The best day to visit a library? Every day. You'll learn something, guaranteed.

This story was originally published March 26, 2016 at 12:00 AM with the headline "Manatee County Library System, best in Florida, naturally ."