The Montclair-based Partners for Health Foundation is among 11 winners named in the national “I Partner with My Public Library” awards. Created by the non-profit organization Let’s Move in Libraries, this award celebrates the crucial work of community collaborators to the work of public libraries across the United States and Canada. This year’s winners were selected from a pool of 61 total nominees and will be recognized at an online award ceremony on November 8. Partners for Health is the only winner from New Jersey.
“We are incredibly proud to collaborate with Partners for Health, whose commitment to improving the well-being of our community strengthens the impact of our services every day. Their unwavering support has helped us address essential needs like food security, social services, and raising awareness of poverty, which are vital to the health and resilience of Montclair. We are grateful for their partnership and dedication,” said Radwa Ali, Director of Montclair Public Library.
“Partnerships with anchor institutions like the Montclair Public Library are integral to the Foundation’s ability to meeting its mission. The Library is a true partner that cares for all community members who utilize their facilities and participate in their programs. We are proud to share this recognition with them,” said Pam Scott, Executive Director of Partners for Health.
The Montclair Public Library Foundation nominated Partners for Health for their steadfast support and partnership, specifically for the Library’s summer lunch program, social worker position, and recent “Poverty, by America” author talk and discussions.
The Library’s summer lunch program aims to feed children who do not have access to schools’ free and reduced lunch programs due to the summer break. In the past, Partners for Health’s funding allowed for summer staff who organized and served healthy lunches donated by Toni’s Kitchen. In 2018, the New Jersey Library Association awarded Partners for Health a Library Service Award for its role in this initiative.
In 2023, Partners for Health granted $100,000 to the Library to hire a part-time social worker for two years. This public-facing staff member is responsible for a range of services, including consulting and assisting patrons, training staff on how to approach vulnerable individuals, developing policy and programs addressing equity and inclusion, overseeing a partnership with Montclair State University, and connecting at-risk patrons with social service agencies.
“Partners for Health followed a detailed process with multiple interviews in order to assemble a fuller understanding of the community that specifically seeks out the Library for services,” said Selwa Shamy, Assistant Director at the Library. “From their findings, they awarded more money for the grant than was requested to expand hours and hire a highly qualified professional.”
In 2024, Partners for Health and the Library collaborated on a project to raise awareness of poverty that was centered on “Poverty, by America,” the bestselling book by Matthew Desmond, a Pulitzer Prize-winning Princeton sociologist. Local book clubs read “Poverty, by America” throughout the summer with books donated by the Foundation. The project culminated on September 12 when Desmond joined Andrea Elliott, a New York Times reporter and author of the Pulitzer-winning “Invisible Child,” for a conversation as part of the Library’s Open Book / Open Mind series.
About the Award
Since 2016, the North Carolina-based non-profit organization Let’s Move in Libraries has been a national and international voice advocating for strengthened partnerships between public libraries and others that want communities to be healthier places for all. Through this work, it has seen that public libraries can do a lot to promote health, but this health promotion work is almost always made possible by community partners and community collaborators. Recognizing a gap around this topic, in 2023 Let’s Move in Libraries launched the annual I Partner with My Public Library Award to begin the process of creating a platform to celebrate and acknowledge the crucial work of community collaborators to the work of public librarianship. Visit letsmovelibraries.org/partner-award for more information.
Learn more about the 2024 winners and read the inspiring stories behind each recipient.
About the Montclair Public Library
Founded in 1893, the Montclair Public Library serves the residents of Montclair, New Jersey. It has two facilities: the Main Library at 50 South Fullerton Avenue (open seven days a week) and the Bellevue Avenue Branch at 185 Bellevue Avenue (open six days a week). In 2023, the Library saw 170,000 visits; circulated 390,000 items including books, eBooks, movies, Wi-Fi hotspots, museum passes, tools, and recreational objects; and welcomed 22,000 participants in a wide variety of programs that reflect Montclair’s energy and diversity. Visit montclairlibrary.org for hours of operation and current services.
About the Montclair Public Library Foundation
The Montclair Public Library Foundation is a 501(c)3 organization that provides support and advocacy for a strong public library in Montclair, NJ. The Board and staff raise funds year-round for library programs, events, collection enhancement, staff development, special projects, and other critical needs that exceed municipal funding. The vision of the Foundation is to enhance and expand the library’s role as a community pillar; to ensure free and equitable access to resources; and to ensure the future of our library as a robust center of literacy, economic opportunity, life-long learning, discovery, and community life. Visit https://montclairplf.org/ for more information.