David Cooper, president of our library Friends, received the New York Library Association’s 2007 Daniel W. Casey Advocacy award.

The award was presented on October 19 at the NYLA conference in Buffalo, during the annual meeting of the Empire Friends Roundtable. Empire Friends represents Friends groups throughout the state.

David has served nine years on our Friends board and has held the office of president since 2004. He has initiated and steered many innovations during his tenure, among them the Family Fun Festival in 2005 and the annual Friends on the Green family picnic for five years running. Under his leadership, the Friends have also underwritten our winter concert series A Little Sunday Music, sponsored the annual Riverway Storytelling Festival, and renewed their annual scholarship program for high school seniors.

Cooper’s advocacy for libraries extended beyond Bethlehem to communities ravaged by floods in 2006, when he proposed a generous contribution to NYLA’s disaster relief fund.

Empire Friends Roundtable president Susan Swanton said, “Mr. Cooper deserves this award for his innovative proposals, personal commitment and family/community oriented activities. His endeavors made the community aware of the library and provided services for parents, children and grandparents.”

We couldn’t agree more.