CCPL Announces 2022 Cynthia Graham Hurd Staff Award Winner

Press Release

Charleston County Public Library’s (CCPL) Cynthia Graham Hurd Staff Award for 2022 has been awarded to Amy Adams, Branch Manager at the Baxter-Patrick James Island Library. This award honors the memory of Hurd, a 31-year veteran of CCPL, who was killed in the Mother Emanuel AME Church shooting in 2015.  

The award is presented in recognition of a current staff member who has demonstrated to the public and community the same spirit, enthusiasm, dedication, and commitment exhibited by Cynthia in carrying out the mission of CCPL. To be eligible, an employee must have completed one full year of service and have at least one written nomination submitted on their behalf by another staff member.

“We are thrilled to recognize Amy Adams as this year’s award recipient,” said CCPL Chief Deputy Director John Walden. “She is a true CCPL success story, working her way up through the system, and is shining example of everything that makes libraries such a vital part of our communities.”

Adams, who has been with CCPL for nine years, had a very special relationship with Cynthia dating back to her first days with the library system.

“This award truly means a lot to me,” said Adams. “Cynthia was my manager when I first started, and actually hired me to work at CCPL. I would not be here without her. She was always focused on the greater good and I am honored to carry on her mission and dedication to CCPL and the Charleston Community.”

Adams has worked at four branches during her nine years at CCPL. She began her career as a paraprofessional under the leadership of Cynthia herself, then moved up through a variety of roles before becoming the Branch Manager at Baxter-Patrick James Island. Throughout her career as a manager and mentor at small and large branches, she has focused on team building and bringing out the best in those around her.

Adams is active in her community and within CCPL and encourages the same of her branch staff. She has volunteered with several community organizations such as James Island Children’s Commission and Pet Helpers, and has served in multiple committees including CCPL’s Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion (EDI) Committee and CCPL’s Summer Reading Committee. She played a vital role in implementing Summer Feeding at Baxter-Patrick and other initiatives such as hosting vaccine clinics and early voting, and she continues to strive to make a difference in the lives of her team and her community.

The Cynthia Graham Hurd Staff Award was developed in 2019, when CCPL staff worked closely with Cynthia’s brothers, Melvin and Malcolm Graham, and the Graham family, to establish an opportunity to celebrate Cynthia’s memory and recognize outstanding staff on an annual basis. Previous winners include K’Lani Green (2019), Sheila Heyward (2020), and Julian Gooding (2021).

For more information about CCPL, visit ccpl.org.

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