New Library Helps City Win a Livability Award

The new West Hollywood Library has helped earn the city a special award for livability.

The United States Conference of Mayors has given West Hollywood a 2012 Outstanding Achievement in City Livability Award because of the new library.

West Hollywood is one of 10 cities to be given this honor recently by the U.S. Conference of Mayors, the official non-partisan organization of cities with populations of 30,000 or more. The city received the award at the U.S. Conference of Mayors’ 80th Annual Meeting held June 13-16 in Orlando, Florida.

“The new West Hollywood Library, which was completed in 2011, came as part of West Hollywood’s extensive 25th Anniversary Capital Project,” said the summary of the award on the USCM website. “It was specifically tailored to meet the needs of a diverse and unique community, which has a high percentage of seniors and disabled residents, Russians, and Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender (LGBT) residents.”

“It now includes a career center, an LGBT collection, an HIV and wellness collection, disabled accessibility equipment and software, as well as community meeting and performance spaces,” the summary continued.

“Additionally, it has all the features of a green and modern library, including its own parking garage, natural lighting, sweeping views, private and group study areas, and environmental features that earned it recognition as a LEED Gold Building. Use of the facilities and services has more than tripled and quadrupled, new partnerships have been formed, and the project has received rave reviews from the community and the design world.”

The Conference of Mayors City Livability Program honors mayors and their city governments for developing programs that enhance the quality of life in urban areas.

Established in 1979, the City Livability Awards are given annually to 10 mayors and their cities — a first place award and five Outstanding Achievement Awards for cities under 100,000 population, and a first-place and five Outstanding Achievement Awards for cities of 100,000 or more inhabitants. Winners are selected by an independent panel of judges.

West Palm Beach, Florida won first place in the under 100,000 population category for is career catalyst program.

Other Outstanding Achievement winners in the under 100,000 population category are Lake Owsego, Oregon for its month-long city reading program; Napa, California for its flood protection project; Schaumberg, Illinois for its intergenerational produce garden and Sumter, SC for its new Health Sciences Center.