The New York Times recently announced Phoenix librarian, Kathleen Le Fevre Birtciel, as one of 27 recipients of the newspaper's 2003 Librarian Award. The annual award honors librarians who provide outstanding public service.

Birtciel, director of the Arcadia and Century branch libraries, was nominated by a Phoenix resident for her outstanding work as partner and leader in making the community a vibrant and self-improving place to live, work and play.

The award program, which originally recognized librarians in New York City, has moved beyond the New York area and now recognizes librarians around the country. The 27 recipients of this year's award were chosen from nearly 2,000 nominations submitted by the general public in 46 states.

Nominators were asked to consider their nominee's quality of service, knowledge of the library and its resources and the nominee's commitment to help the public.

"Our librarians provide a valuable service to many residents in our community. The New York Times award is a testament to the great work that Kathleen accomplishes here, and we're delighted that her exemplary performance and outstanding community service are being recognized," said City Librarian Toni Garvey.

This year's winners represent 14 states, including Arizona, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Georgia, Massachusetts, Michigan, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Texas, Vermont and Washington.