Mesa County Libraries is among the finalists for a national award recognizing the contributions of museums and libraries to their communities.

Mesa County Libraries is among 30 finalists — the only one from Colorado — for the 2024 National Medal for Museum and Library Service.

The Institute of Museum and Library Services bestows the medal, the highest honor awarded to museums and libraries for their community services. An independent federal agency, the IMLS provides grants, policy development and research.

“Being named a finalist for the IMLS national medal places Mesa County Libraries programs and services on a national level,” said Michelle Boisvenue-Fox, executive director of Mesa County Libraries. “We are very honored and proud of our staff, volunteers and board who work tirelessly to create an environment that fosters community engagement and our continued mission of enriching lives and building community through opportunities to learn, discover, create and connect.”

National medal winners will be announced in late May. Representatives from winning institutions will be honored during a national medals ceremony in Washington, D.C., this summer.

To celebrate the honor, IMLS encourages Mesa County residents to share stories, memories, pictures and videos about Mesa County Libraries on social media using the hashtags #ShareYourStory and #IMLSmedals and engage with IMLS on X, Facebook and Instagram.

For more information about the Institute of Museum and Library Services, visit www.imls.gov.