Virginia Library Association Intellectual Freedom Committee Banned Books Display Contest (Second Place)
Awarded: October 2011

 

Picturing America Grant
Awarded: January 2009

Through the Picturing America initiative, the NEH aims to tell the story of America through its art. BPLS displayed 40 large, high-quality reproductions of selected masterpieces and created a self-guided audio tour for patrons to learn more about each piece of art. The exhibit was displayed at Bedford Central Library from Oct. 19, 2009 to Dec. 30, 2009. Select posters and the accompanying audio tours were also exhibited at the other 5 branches of the Bedford Public Library System throughout February, March and April 2010.

Opportunity Online Hardware Grant
Awarded: April 2008

The Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation awarded $39,000 to the Forest and Stewartsville Libraries to add or replace public access computers.
 

Outstanding Library Director Award
Awarded: April 2006

The Virginia Public Library Director's Association awarded Library Director, Peggy Bias, the Outstanding Library Director award in honor of her exceptional performance and leadership not only on the individual level, but on contributions to libraries across the Commonwealth.
 

Outstanding Library Staff Award
Awarded: April 2006

The Virginia Public Library Director's Association awarded Associate Library Director, Donna Pletcher, the Outstanding Library Staff award in honor of her outstanding contributions to libraries and library services.
 

Success by Six Grant
Awarded: May 2005

The Success by 6 Community Coalition awarded $12,826 to the Bedford Public Library System's Youth Services Department to expand the Rockabye Reader program. The Success by 6 grant helped increase program participation, provided parents with instructional resources to promote children’s literacy, and allowed the library to obtain additional resources to enhance the program's effectiveness.
 

Center for Survey Research
Reported: February 2003

In September 2002, the Center for Survey Research at the University of Virginia conducted a telephone survey of...residents of Bedford County, Virginia on behalf of the County's Board of Supervisors and executive management. Library Services received the highest level of satisfaction, at 94%...

Click here for the complete Bedford County 2002 Citizen Survey.
 

Gates Grant
Awarded: February 2001

The Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation awarded $51,958 for 16 new public use computers at the Bedford Central, Big Island, Moneta, Montvale and Stewartsville Libraries.
 

Outstanding Support of Library Paraprofessionals
Honored: Spring 2000

Library Director, Tom Hehman, was honored by the Virginia Library Association Paraprofessional Forum for "Outstanding Support of Library Paraprofessionals" for his work as President of the Virginia Library Association in 1998.
 

Outstanding Library Staff Members Award
Awarded: Spring 2000

The entire staff of the Bedford Public Library System were honored by the presentation of the Outstanding Library Staff Members Award based on "exceptional teamwork, dedication, flexibility and adaptablility in the completion of a comprehensive library development program that included the opening of three new and two remodeled library buildings, migration to a next-generation library system, and development of opening day collections for all five libraries within 46 months."