The Allegheny County Library Association is pleased to announce that Assistant Director Kimberley Hrivnak is the 2019 recipient of the Pennsylvania Library Association (PaLA) Certificate of Merit. The award was presented at the PaLA Annual Conference in October.

Each year, the award is granted to individuals who make outstanding contributions to libraries and the PaLA. The recipient must be nominated by a member of the PaLA. Christi Buker, President of the PaLA, said this when asked about Hrivnak’s contributions to the organization:

“Kimberley Hrivnak is truly deserving of this recognition and more.  In her role as Co-Chair of the Legislative Committee, she has devoted an enormous amount of time including her own personal time and energy to organizing, planning, writing messages, and doing outreach for legislative activities.  She has also been a role model and sets an excellent example for staying connected with other library leaders, making phone calls to legislators, and sending thank you notes to legislative offices.  Perhaps most important is that Kimberley makes time to share this information with her colleagues – not just in Allegheny County, but for any one who is interested and reaches out.  Kimberley’s work as a volunteer is outstanding, and she contributes tirelessly to efforts that support ALL libraries in the state!”

Currently, Hrivnak serves as co-chair of the PaLA Legislative Committee. A role she has held since 2018. As co-chair, Hrivnak has worked tirelessly to keep library funding needs front and center during negotiations for the state budget and allocations to public libraries, as well as helping to plan and execute the first legislative breakfast in the State Capitol for newly elected legislators. At a federal advocacy level, Hrivnak deployed a network of mentees and concerned citizens to overwhelm the Allegheny County legislator’s offices with calls and emails regarding the “Dear Appropriator Letter” safeguarding LSTA funding and ultimately securing the support.

Locally, ACLA is fortunate to have Hrivnak as part of the team, serving as Assistant Director of ACLA. Her dedication to libraries and relentless support of library professionals is unmatched. Please join us in congratulating Kimberley Hrivnak on this well-deserved honor.

To read the full citation, click here.