The Round Valley branch of the Mendocino County Library, located in the unincorporated community of Covelo, has won Library Journal’s 2024 Best Small Library in America Award.
The award was merited by “the work (the branch) has done to create a robust community hub through responsive services and strong partnerships,” the Library Journal said on its website. The award is sponsored by Ingram Library Services.
The Round Valley library offers a diverse range of programming for both adults and children, a comprehensive print and digital collection, and extensive outreach efforts.
It is part of a community center with a certified commercial kitchen, a redwood-paneled meeting and community room, a cafe and a radio station.
Located in a remote part of northern California, the branch library exists in an area challenged by isolation, economic hardship, and environmental vulnerability, according to a statement by the Mendocino County Library.
“We’ve been really working hard to reach as many families as possible in this small community.”
Josh Bennett, Round Valley Branch Librarian
The town’s population includes residents of the local Round Valley Indian Tribes reservation.
“We’ve been really working hard to reach as many families as possible in this small community,” Branch Librarian Josh Bennett said in a statement.
A former educator, Bennett works closely with the local school system, in addition to a host of other day-to-day services.
“The library in Covelo would not exist without the past and present support of the Round Valley community. Thank you for using the library, thank you for partnering with us, and thank you for holding your meetings and events here,” Bennett said.
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