Palm Beach County Library System Receives Two Prestigious Awards

​The Palm Beach County Library System (PBCLS) was honored to take home two Bernays Awards at the Gold Coast PR Council's (GCPRC) annual ceremony in October. The GCPRC, South Florida's largest independent association of public relations, communications and marketing professionals, celebrated its 19th year of the Bernays Awards. GCPRC has given out these awards since 2005 honoring excellence in local public relations campaigns, marketing programs and media coverage.

The first award category was for Best Nonprofit Project or Campaign - Large. The PBCLS won for the "Strategic Plan FY 2024-2028 & Action Plan FY 2024."

The PBCLS's "Strategic Plan FY 2024-2028 & Action Plan FY 2024" provides guidance for the delivery of services over the next five years. It outlines a vision of outstanding library service for residents of the Palm Beach County Library District and addresses community needs and emerging trends. It also serves as a guide for the library's development as a cornerstone of a well-informed and educated community. Click the link to view the document: "Strategic Plan FY 2024-2028 & Action Plan FY 2024"(https://ow.ly/gwLC50TUA2L).

The second award was for Best Marketing Material (Video/Digital). The library won for "Embracing the New - The Complete Renovation of www.pbclibrary.org."

The previous PBCLS website had become outdated and "glitchy," and a streamlined website for both members and staff was needed. Rebuilding a website from the ground-up with an access of over 100 pages typically can take up to a year or longer. PBCLS's communications department faced an aggressive timeline. Staff had a six-month window for completion of a new website that displays the library as a community cornerstone. By dividing the workload, the small team of four not only built an attractive website but completed it a month ahead of schedule. The new site has bright, cohesive branding and over 21 new tools to make it into a social hub, garnering a 446% increase in library website users in January 2024.

PBCLS Director Douglas Crane stated, "Winning not one, but two awards among many talented private and government sector agencies is a tremendous honor for the library. I couldn't be prouder of our staff's exceptional work on both the Strategic Plan and the website."