Oak Park, IL — The Oak Park Area Gay and Lesbian Association (OPALGA) has announced that the Oak Park Public Library is one of two local institutions to receive a leadership award for outstanding contributions to the gay, lesbian, bisexual, or transgendered community in the Oak Park area. The Oak Park Area Leadership (OPAL) award will be presented to representatives of the Library at OPALGA’s annual gala on Saturday, November 13 at the Nineteenth Century Club in Oak Park. OPAL awards are given annually. Recipients are selected by a committee of past award winners. Nominations are solicited from the broader membership of OPALGA.
The Oak Park Public Library was selected as an award recipient in recognition of the institution’s long history of creating and maintaining collections of materials by or for sexual minorities. In addition, the Library supports the freedom to read and is explicitly committed to intellectual freedom and the freedom of access to information. The Library has also proactively assembled bibliographies and guides to resources; hosted events including film showings, meetings, and public forums; and participated in local events in support of the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgendered communities.
In 2007 the Oak Park Public Library received a grant to create the first focused Transgender Resource Collection in a U.S. public library. This unique collection consists mainly of nonfiction materials and includes medical information, legal concerns, and social issues. With its own resources, the Library has added popular and lesser known fiction titles as well as films. The collection serves transgender people and anyone seeking information, including employers, medical providers, allies, friends and family.
Since its beginnings in 1989, OPALGA has become one of the largest community-based, multipurpose lesbian and gay membership organizations in Illinois. Its mission is to improve the quality of life and empower gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgendered residents. More information about the group or the upcoming awards gala may be obtained at the organization’s website (opalga.org) or by contacting the group at 708-848-0273.
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Established in 1902, the Oak Park Public Library has served the community of Oak Park for more than a century. Today the Library serves 53,000 residents in Oak Park, Illinois with three locations: the Main Library, Dole Branch Library, and Maze Branch Library. The Library offers a large collection of fiction and nonfiction titles, movies, CDs, audiobooks, magazines, newspapers, reference materials and online resources, and local history information. In addition, the Main Library is known for its impressive collection of permanent artwork, including pieces by local artists. For more information on the Oak Park Public Library and its collections and services, please visit www.oppl.org or call 708-383-8200.