FOLIO will present two awards to Friends groups that demonstrate exemplary success in support of their local library in 2025. Entries must be received no later than January 31st, 2026
- The John Harkey Best Friends Award of $1,000 recognizes a Friends group in a city or town with a population of less than 10,000.
- The Oklahoma Best Friends Award of $1,000 recognizes a Friends group in a city or town with a population in excess of 10,000.
To compete for the awards, a Friends group must have paid FOLIO membership dues during 2025
The Best Friends Committee will use the following criteria for judging all entries:
- Narrative summary describing a major innovative/creative event or series of activities that impacted your library for calendar year 2024.
- A narrative describing the process used for increasing the involvement of patrons in the local library
Use numbers to indicate:- How the events increased the patronage use of the library.
- The approximate number of members of the local community involved in each event.
- Quality of the narrative and the organization of materials presented in support of your entry.
Materials may include: PowerPoint, pictures, videos, newspaper or magazine articles, newsletters, posters, handouts and flyers concerning the events. Scrapbooks are acceptable, but not required. Entries may be electronically submitted via e-mail. The deadline is January 31st, 2026.
Email submissions to BestFriends@okfriends.net, or mail to Melinda Howard, 6232 Olde Harwick Circle, Oklahoma City, OK 73162.