Library Director Holly Albanese named Northeast Florida Library Information Network Member of the Year

Palm Coast Observer
News

Flagler County Public Library Director Holly Albanese was named the 2022 Northeast Florida Library Information Network (NEFLIN) “Member of the Year” at its annual conference last week in recognition of her “significant positive impact” on the library and the community it serves.

“Flagler County Library Director Holly Albanese won the NEFLIN Member of the Year Award because of her many years of hard work doing things that help her library and support our organization,” said Northeast Florida Library Information Network Executive Director Brad Ward by phone on Monday. Bunnell Branch Manager Jon Nemergut nominated Albanese.

“I’m not sure I deserve that admiration,” she said. “I am of course honored and humbled.”

Nemergut wrote of Albanese’s participation in the American Library Association, the Florida Library Association, and, of course, the Northeast Florida Library Information Network where she is a past president and former “Innovation Award” recipient.

He cited as her “most impressive accomplishment” Albanese’s determination to expand library services in Bunnell by building a multiuse facility that will include space for the Library, Health and Human Services Department, and a Community/Conference Center.

“She employed innovative thinking to get this project funded. For six years, she applied for and was ranked number one for a State of Florida Library Construction Grant,” Nemergut wrote, noting that library Passport revenue and other outside-of-the-box funding can add to the project kitty. “In early 2022, our Board of County Commissioners agreed to move forward with this project.”

In addition to library director, Albanese serves Flagler County as chief of special projects, legislative liaison and has a seat on the county’s wellness committee, evaluation plan committee, employee engagement committee, and customer service committee.

“Holly Albanese is very hard working and dedicated to Flagler County – the governmental entity and the community,” said County Administrator Heidi Petito. “She is an asset to us all, and I’m glad to see her recognized for it.”

The Northeast Florida Library Information Network serves 550 libraries in 24 counties throughout the region, including: Madison, Hamilton, Taylor, Lafayette, Suwanee, Columbia, Baker, Union, Bradford, Nassau, Duval, Clay, St. Johns, Dixie, Gilchrist, Alachua, Putnam, Flagler, Levy, Marion, Sumter, Volusia, Seminole and Brevard.