Pasco Congratulates Libraries Director

Linda Allen joked that she now wonders what else her staff gets up to when she's not looking.

Allen, the director of the Pasco County Library System, said she was totally unaware the staff had conspired to nominate her for a national award.

So Allen was floored when she learned she had been chosen as one of 10 winners of the I Love My Librarian Award. The Carnegie Corporation of New York, a nonprofit charitable organization, and The New York Times co-sponsor the honor.

Considering some 3,200 librarians had been nominated for the top-drawer honor, Pasco County commissioners thought Allen's achievement was noteworthy. They presented her with a proclamation this week.

Commissioner Pat Mulieri said commissioners always believed the county has one of the best networks of libraries anywhere in the country, which has some 123,000 libraries in all. The national award proves it, commissioners emphasized.

Allen took the opportunity to plug the new Pasco Library Foundation, which is "up and running," thanks in large part to the Friends of the Pasco County Library System support group, she said.

The foundation is accepting donations now and promoting one of its first events, a Book Fair slated for Feb. 9 - 15 at the Barnes & Noble store in Wesley Chapel.

Her career here started in 1988 as libraries manager in charge of all technology and support services. In 2003, she stepped up to become libraries director.

The library system is no stranger to awards. Pasco received the Library of the Year Award from the Florida Library Association in April 2008. Innovations such as Battle of the Bands and E-government services impressed the judges.

In the proclamation, commissioners declared Allen's "forward looking philosophy has been the backbone of the Pasco County Library System. Her goals to stay current with library trends, automation and technology benefit all Pasco County residents."

Commissioners also took a moment to recognize state Sen. Mike Fasano, R-New Port Richey, for being named Outstanding Legislator of the Year by the Florida Library Association.

Fasano, the Senate's president pro tempore, was honored for his efforts to help pass legislation to correct inequities in Florida's State Aid to Libraries grant formula.