News Release

Tracey Jones-Grant Winner of the NSLA 2011 Norman Horrocks Award for Library Leadership

03 October 2011

News release first published by Nova Scotia Library Association. Contact: Lynn Lavoie
(902) 490-5886 lavoiel@halifax.ca

Tracey Jones-Grant was named by the Nova Scotia Library Association as the recipient of the 2011 Norman Horrocks Award for Library Leadership. The Horrocks Award was established to honour leadership and distinguished contributions to the promotion and development of library services in Nova Scotia. The award was presented during the NSLA Annual Conference Banquet held at the Delta Sydney Hotel in Sydney, NS on the evening of September 24th.
Lynn Lavoie, Chair of the NSLA Awards Committee, commented on the selection of Jones-Grant as this year’s winner of the Horrocks Award. “Tracey’s commitment to community, respect for diversity, and work in co-developing innovative new public library service models are inspiring. Her belief in the value of the public library and her tireless work developing library services - not just for the public but with the public - has earned her the respect and admiration of her peers.”

Jones-Grant, the first African Nova Scotian to win the award, is Manager of Literacy, ESL, and Diversity Services at Halifax Public Libraries. When asked her thoughts on winning the award she shared “I’m really thrilled and honoured. It’s pretty exciting!” She also added she appreciated NSLA recognizing “...the community piece of our work and how important that is.” Jones-Grant worked with colleagues from Vancouver Public Library, Regina Public Library, and Toronto Public Library on the Working Together Project. The Working Together Project had two objectives. The first was to build connections and relationships in the community. The second was to identify and investigate systemic barriers to library use. One of the major successes of this project was the creation of a new Community-Led Service Model for public libraries. For more information about the Working Together Project visit www.librariesincommunities.ca.

The Nova Scotia Library Association was established in 1973 to promote and advance the cause of libraries in Nova Scotia. In 2003 NSLA established the Norman Horrocks Award for Library Leadership. Dr. Horrocks was Dean of the Dalhousie School of Information Management for many years, and was appointed an Officer of the Order of Canada in 2006.