HPLD employee Rick Medrano one of three recipients of the 2020 ABOS Rising Stars Award

September 3, 2020

Association of Bookmobile and Outreach Services
1190 Meramec Station Road Ballwin, MO 63021

Press Release – For Immediate Release

Rick Medrano, Outreach Librarian at High Plains (CO) Library District, is one of the three recipients of the 2020 ABOS Rising Stars Award. The Rising Stars Award, sponsored by the Association of Bookmobile and Outreach Services, highlights the achievements of those new to the bookmobile and outreach profession.

Rick Medrano has served as Outreach Librarian in the Mobile Outreach Virtual Experience (MOVE) Department for High Plains Library District (HPLD) for the past 3 years. In 2017, Rick worked on and presented survey results the Summer Reading team and introduced the team to the Project Outcome tool. This leadership resulted in his library district adapting the Project Outcome tool to evaluate some of the library’s programs including the Summer Reading program. In 2019, Rick presented at HPLD’s staff day and the ABOS Conference.

Rick has a passion for serving and this is evident in his commitment to serve the most vulnerable patrons: homeless and transitional patrons. He used his leadership skills to re-envision an existing stop at the homeless shelter and added a stop at an apartment building that helps homeless patrons’ transition into apartment living. Rick’s welcoming attitude and approachability has increased services to the most vulnerable, inviting them to feel a sense of belonging to the library. Rick also assists at the Inter-Community Corrections Services (ICCS) to ensure that the library is providing services to newly released patrons into the community. He assists them in library card sign up and materials checkout.

The impact Rick has had on his community is vast. He works with newcomers, rural communities, patrons experiencing homelessness, seniors, patrons re-entering society, school-aged children, and any patron in need of services.

During the COVID shut down, Rick connected with the seasonal Cold Weather Shelter and Housing navigation center to provide them with laptops and internet access. He also assisted getting laptops and internet access to the Weld County Employment Services. Rick is currently working on getting the 2020 Census completed by as many members of his community as possible. Even during COVID he is connecting with partner organizations to work together to host walk up service events to encourage the completion of the Census.

Rick has had a great impact in his internal organization. He was selected by the leadership team at his library to give a tour when Governor Polis made a visit to HPLD and he was able to showcase the library’s services and how these looked during COVID. He is activity involved in ABOS and keep his team on track to submit articles that highlights their work. Rick also services on the ABOS BOIR Committee.

The Rising Stars Award will be presented at the Awards Ceremony to be held on Wednesday, October 14, during the 2020 Virtual Conference of the Association of Bookmobile and Outreach Services. The ceremony starts at 9:30 a.m. CST.