Base Library wins federal award Published May 16, 2012 By Samuel King Jr. Team Eglin Public Affairs EGLIN AIR FORCE BASE, Fla. -- The base library recently won the Federal Library and Information Network's best small federal library or information center award for 2011. Last week, members of the library staff accepted the award at the Library of Congress. According to the FEDLINK release, the Eglin's library was recognized for its resilience and focus on the needs of its individual users and patrons. Dedicated to maintaining and improving the overall education and quality of life of the military families it serves, the library collaborated with other military libraries and local organizations to build stronger programs, increase visibility, and deliver its programming beyond the physical library. Through a redesign of its web portal, the library made online learning, databases and e-books convenient resources for all users. Its close partnership with the base education office assured seamless communication with local schools and direct marketing of educational resources to adult learners. For families, the library held a record-breaking summer reading program, with a 32 percent increase in participation compared with the previous year, and developed an initiative featuring new collections and outreach programming to new base arrivals and deployed families. "This is a prestigious national recognition that cannot be understated," said Marcia Treuter, the library director. "To receive it in this time of change for Air Force libraries with less budget for materials and resources highlights the importance of what base libraries can accomplish. It's a team award and we are so very proud to bring it home to Eglin."