County Library Board Recognizes Branch Manager For Special Efforts

OCEAN CITY – A local branch manager was recognized this month for his contributions to the Worcester County Library.

At the Nov. 9 meeting of the Worcester County Library Board of Trustees, Citizens for Maryland Libraries Board President Jay Bansbach and Executive Director Lynn Wheeler presented Ocean City Branch Manager Alec Staley with the Outstanding Library Employee award.

The award is presented to library employees or teams that have made exceptional contributions to the library, particularly in the areas of customer service or community outreach.

“At Citizens for Maryland Libraries, part of our mission is to create greater public awareness for libraries and its services,” Bansbach said, “and for that we have an awards program … to honor those that deserve special recognition.”

Staley was promoted to branch manager of the Ocean City library in September. Prior to that, he worked for two years as the Worcester County Library’s local history librarian, bringing archives into the digital age and digitizing more than 20,000 photographs and documents.

“The board was very impressed with the nomination we received talking about how you used your tremendous tech skills to highlight and showcase the immense collections at the library,” Wheeler told Staley this week.

She added that Staley was also responsible for creating transcripts and making heritage displays, particularly highlighting underserved communities in Worcester County.

“Especially in a time of COVID, highlighting materials that give a community a sense of pride and achievement is commendable …,” she said. “It’s an honor, Alec, to recognize your work, and it’s so very important when trying to collect and disperse digital information.”

Worcester County Library trustee Nancy Howard praised Staley for not only his work at the library, but also his work in the community.

“I know Alec is wonderful working within the library, but I also want you to know he is a great ambassador for the libraries …,” she said. “We just had History Week, and without Alec it wouldn’t have been as successful as it was.”

Officials say an award and $100 check will be presented in the coming weeks. Staley’s recognition will also be featured in the state organization’s newsletter.

About The Author: Bethany Hooper

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Bethany Hooper has been with The Dispatch since 2016. She currently covers various general stories. Hooper graduated from Stephen Decatur High School in 2012 and the University of Maryland in 2016, where she completed double majors in journalism and economics.