Awarded By National Association of Counties (NACo)

Connecting Communities with Quilts wove twelve thematically linked programs to transcend languages and cultures, allowing the library to combine public spaces, reading, and interests to make all feel valued. Capitalizing on the library system’s popular summer reading program, the initiative included a large-scale community art project across six locations, a two-part workshop by Kuumba Afrikan American Quilting Guild, a lecture by Denise Lowe Walters of the Nottoway Indian Tribe of Virginia, a screening of a Public Broadcasting Station (PBS) documentary, and other resources, including tips on visiting barn quilt trails throughout rural Virginia. The centerpiece was a Collaborative Community Paper Quilt made of paper quilt blocks in six locations. Created by community members through drop-in programs, the resulting “quilts” were assembled and displayed for one month. Mirroring the quilt-making process, many people worked individually to create a single unit. The result proved people of all ages and backgrounds can share their gifts to create one beautiful, functional whole.