Gretchen Wronka Wins Sandy Berman Social Responsibility Award 2001 June 8, 2001 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Gretchen WronkaGretchen Wronka, Youth Services Coordinator for the Hennepin County Library system, has been awarded the 2001 Sanford Berman Social Responsibility Award for energy, innovation and passion in bringing children their parents, caregivers and libraries - traditionally or outside of the buildings - together. The award was created to honor Sanford Berman, who served as head cataloger in the Hennepin County Library system for 26 years. It is presented annually by AFSCME Local 2864 (librarians) and 2822 (associate librarians and support staff) to an employee who has made a unique and valuable contribution to humanity through his/her work in Hennepin County Library. Wronka's career in HCL started more than 25 years ago when she was hired as children's librarian at the Southdale Area Library. She has kept her focus on children throughout the years, but has gone beyond the traditional library walls to be a leader in local and national initiatives. She has sparked countless collaborative ideas with her enthusiasm, partnering with community groups, schools, Hennepin County departments, the University of Minnesota Consortium for Children, Youth and Families and others. Wronka realized that the public library is part of the community infrastructure that supports early learning and literacy development. She has written - and helped others - write many grants to initiate new programs for families not served through traditional means. One example is a program at the adult Correctional Facility in Plymouth, where librarians and volunteers present workshops for inmates on the pleasure and importance of reading to their children. Another example is Great Transitions, a collaborative project between the Minneapolis Public Library, Hennepin County Juvenile Corrections, the Hennepin county Home School and the Epsilon Program of the Hopkins School District. Through this grand-funded project incarcerated young people are involved in a variety of literacy based programs. Wronka has been involved in a number of other Outreach initiatives, including training workshops for child care providers, development of the Hennepin County Library Children's Readmobile program, Mail-a-Book, promoting summer reading for children in the Title 1 program, and programs for improved library service and access to students in several District 287 schools. To make all this happen has required steadfast energy and a talent for working effectively with others, and participating in several arenas. She has been a model for other library staff, and can still be found on occasion presenting storytimes everywhere from low-income apartments and clinics, churches, community centers, to libraries. In the words of a colleague who nominated her, "You will find Gretchen today where she has always been, out in front, taking the next step in forging community partnerships, tugging her colleagues with her, mentoring us, coaxing us, encouraging us to stretch into community work, to broaden the definition of what libraries are and can be for all people." For more info contact Lynn Stetler 952.847.8569