Tompkins wins Frost Library Award

Allen Tompkins began working at the Newark Library in August of 2005. When he came to the Newark Library he had already had experience in Wayne County libraries as he was on the library staff in his home town of Red Creek and in the Sodus Library as well.

He pursued the position at the Red Creek Library in the middle of a career change. A Certified Home Health Aide, Tompkins decided that the time had come to do the work he had always dreamed of doing.

With an air of positive customer service, a warm and welcoming approach to helping library users and a serious attention to the detail required for his work with book processing, Allen truly enjoys his second career. 'I am surrounded by books and nice people,' Tompkins said when asked why he enjoys his work so much.

In honor of his service to Wayne County Libraries, Allen Tompkins was presented with the 2007 Grace Frost Library Advocate Award. Given annually by the Wayne County Library Directors, this award highlights service and dedication to all that libraries stand for and for the communities that the serve.

Past recipients have been Peg Pelletier, also a Newark Library staff person, and June Hamell from the Macedon Library staff.

Grace McCarthy Frost is known throughout the Wayne County library community for her role in establishing the Red Creek Free Library and for her continued support of the library and its mission. As an active member of the Ladies Literary Society, Grace was instrumental in gathering financial support for a local public library. She went door to door asking for contributions to fund the library and in 1938 the doors to the Red Creek Free Library opened for the first time. Occupying a room in a private home and then a former jail building, the library now enjoys space on Main Street.

Over the years, Frost has been an active library advocate, providing strength and guidance to library users, staff and the community. She demonstrated unwavering support for the Red Creek Free Library for over 60 years and serves as the inspiration and role model for the Grace Frost Library Advocate Award.

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