Park City Library Awarded ‘Star Library’ Status

Outside the Park City Library on Park Ave. Photo: Photo courtesy of Park City Municipal

PARK CITY, Utah. — The Park City Library was named one of 262 Star Libraries in America for 2020. This designation is based on statistics gathered by the Library Journal on each library’s services, including physical circulation, electronic materials circulation, library visits, program attendance, public internet computer use, and Wi-Fi sessions. The accolade is aimed at identifying and celebrating the best libraries in the United States.

“I am really excited about it because it represents so much amazing work that has been accomplished by my staff to support our community,” said Adriane Herrick Juarez, director of Park City Library. “…we couldn’t do this without the incredible support of our city council, our library board, the city administration, and the community.”

According to Herrick Juarez, it’s not an easy feat to earn this status; only two Utah libraries were honored as Star Libraries, and some states don’t have even a single library recognized in this way.

“Our goal is to be a wonderful resource for our residents and our visitors and everyone in the Park City area. And the fact that we’re doing that and our numbers and statistics show that we’re doing that is amazing…especially at the end of a very difficult year for all of us,” Herrick Juarez said.

The data that determines which libraries are named is collected from 2018 data. Because of the two-year delay in making Star Library announcements, Covid-19 impacts will not be reflected until 2022.

“We’ve learned a lot during the time of Covid that people love the library and they love us as a service and a gathering space,” Herrick Juarez said. “…I think we are just going to really be a community gathering place. I mean everyone is just craving coming together when all of this is over in physical space, and the library is the perfect place for that.”

She said the library will pull together a robust schedule of events and programs as soon as people can once again gather safely in public.