Miami-Dade Public Library employees receive national recognition for innovation, technology and dedication to providing accessible and inclusive services

The Miami-Dade County Public Library System (Library) is pleased to announce that two Miami-Dade Public Library employees have been honored with national awards: the Library Journal’s 2024 Movers & Shakers Award for Innovators and the Reference and User Services Association’s (RUSA) 2024 Emerging Technology Section (ETS) Best Emerging Technology Application Award. These accolades recognize their innovative use of technology and commitment to making library programs and services accessible for all residents of Miami-Dade County.

“Providing inclusive access to community services, resources and experiences is essential,” said Miami-Dade County Mayor Daniella Levine Cava. “We are so proud of the exemplary work demonstrated by our County employees. As trusted community spaces, our library system truly sets the bar as they continue to innovate and deliver accessible programming that benefits and enriches the lives of all of our residents.”

The Library employees recognized, along with their award-winning accomplishments are as follows:

Marlon Moore, Community Engagement Coordinator for Outreach and Mobile Services, has been honored with a Library Journal 2024 Movers & Shakers Award in the Innovators category. The award recognizes his work in creating opportunities to actively engage residents of all ages with the latest technology through the Library’s Technobus, a mobile computer lab on wheels, and for his role in helping develop the Mogul Maker Expo, a series of one-day conferences at the Library presented in collaboration with the Miami-Dade County Office of Innovation and Economic Development. The program aligns with the Mayor’s STRIVE305 Initiative aimed at supporting small businesses and entrepreneurs by making resources and information easily accessible to help them thrive.

Jennifer Shipley, Library Operations Manager, whose area of oversight includes the Library’s Braille and Talking Books service, won RUSA’s ETS Best Emerging Technology Application Award, which includes a $3,000 cash prize, after spearheading two innovative interactive exhibitions for people with vision and hearing disabilities that incorporated the use of QR codes. The POP-UP Storywalk™ combined Braille and QR codes, allowing participants to use their phones to hear narrated stories, while a tactile-friendly, multi-sensory POP-UP art exhibition designed for individuals with low vision encouraged touching the art and hearing descriptions through QR codes. The award recognizes individuals or groups who develop or significantly modify original technology for novel uses that directly benefit library users. The awarded cash prize will be used to fund additional inclusive Library programming for the community.

"We are proud and honored to receive recognition from both the Reference and User Services Association and Library Journal acknowledging our team's dedication to accessibility and innovation," said Ray Baker, Director of the Miami-Dade Public Library System. "These awards not only celebrate the exceptional efforts of our employees but also highlight Miami-Dade County's commitment to innovation and its impact on our community. Congratulations to Jennifer and Marlon for exemplifying the best of public service!"

For more information about the awards, click on the links below.
Marlon Moore | Movers & Shakers 2024—Innovators | Library Journal.
2024 ETS Best Emerging Technology Application Award – RUSA Update

About the Miami-Dade Public Library System
The Miami-Dade Public Library System (Library) provides extraordinary services, spaces and experiences that promote literacy and learning, personal growth and limitless opportunities. The Library is recognized as an Autism Friendly Partner by the University of Miami-Nova Southeastern University Center for Autism and Related Disabilities. The Library was also named a finalist for the prestigious IMLS National Medal for Museum and Library Service in 2022 and 2023 and has been honored with several awards, including 102 National Association of Counties (NACo) Achievement Awards over the past seven years, an Urban Libraries Council 2020 Innovation Award, and seven Florida Library Association (FLA) Awards for Excellence and Innovation from 2018 – 2024, including being named Library of the Year in 2024. Learn more at www.mdpls.org.

About Library Journal
Founded in 1876, Library Journal is a trade publication serving librarians and library workers. Sharing important news and perspectives that shape the field, surfacing best practices and innovations to invest in, identifying emerging leaders, guiding purchasing decisions, and acting as an advocate for librarians and libraries, Library Journal has been leading the field through the great changes and innovations required to keep libraries strong for nearly 150 years.

About the Reference and User Services Association
The Reference and User Services Association (RUSA) is a division of the American Library Association. RUSA serves all types of libraries in reference, user services, adult readers advisory and collection development as well as resource sharing, genealogy and archives, business reference and reference technology.