STAUNTON, VA (Rocktown Now) — The Friends of the Staunton Library have been chosen as the recipients of the 2026 Friends of the Library Award from the Virginia Library Association (VLA).

Each year, VLA honors library workers and project teams from academic, public and special libraries across the Commonwealth for their exemplary contributions to their communities and profession.

The Friends of the Staunton Library were selected for their work in completing the new library terrace, a project that enhanced accessibility to the library’s outdoor space for the entire community, in addition to their fundraising, programming, and beautification efforts.

Representatives from the Friends traveled to the VLA annual conference in Norfolk on Oct. 18 to accept and celebrate their award in person.

“For a small volunteer group, this is a higher honor than we ever expected. The work we do as the Friends of the Staunton Library is a labor of love, and to have it recognized statewide affirms what I’ve known since the day I joined: this is a special group of deeply caring people, and it shows in what we’ve accomplished,” said Friends of the Staunton Library President Dan Bates.

In addition to the VLA award, the Friends will also be accepting a proclamation from Staunton City Council on Oct. 22, recognizing Oct. 18 – 24 as National Friends of the Library Week.

With roughly 200 members, the Friends of the Staunton Library provides volunteer support and raises funds that enhance the programming, technology and collections of the Staunton Public Library. Originally founded in the mid-1950s, the Friends have spent 70 years advocating for and augmenting public library services.

Through memberships, annual book sales and other fundraisers, the Friends have been able to sponsor monthly lunch concerts for 30 years, provide scholarships and professional development opportunities for Staunton Public Library employees and help offer a range of programs that were not otherwise funded through the library’s annual budget.

The Friends’ crowning achievement and gift to the library has been the complete renovation of the grounds to create a new library terrace for outdoor events and community use, which opened to the public Oct. 9, 2026. 

As a testament to their love of the Staunton community, the Friends of the Staunton Library became one of the first groups to sign up for the city’s relaunched Adopt-a-Spot program, sponsoring the streets around the library and cleaning up litter several times per year. The Virginia Library Association noted that the Friends’ stewardship extends beyond the library to the city itself, demonstrating their commitment to the community beyond the library walls.