The only Connecticut library recognized for Outstanding Children’s Services

By Cherry Dumaual

For Adriana Duffy, children’s library services begin with books—but they don’t end there.

Under her leadership as children’s librarian, the New Fairfield Free Public Library’s Children’s Department has become a place where children create their own comics, learn to cook, explore sensory-friendly spaces, borrow museum passes, make new friends, and discover interests that extend far beyond the pages of a book.

That broad vision of what a library can be helped earn the New Fairfield Free Public Library a prestigious distinction this year. The Connecticut State Library honored and celebrated the New Fairfield Children’s Library with the 2026 Excellence in Public Libraries Award for Outstanding Children’s Services, making it the only Connecticut library recognized in the category.

“It’s a real honor,” said Duffy. “We’ve been doing a lot of hard work this year, trying to update different things from the library and adding new activities. We know how hard we’ve been working and see the effect on the community, but it feels really nice to get that acknowledgement from outside.”

The award recognizes libraries that demonstrate exceptional service and innovation. Applicants submitted examples of programs, photographs, letters of support, and evidence of community impact.

Library Director Linda Fox said, “I am delighted that the New Fairfield Free Public Library has received this award. Adriana Duffy and the Children’s Library staff deserve this recognition for their innovative programs and for creating such a welcoming space for children and families. This recognition is especially meaningful because it highlights the hard work and dedication of the Children’s Library staff.” 

For Duffy, much of that work begins with a simple belief: when certain groups are not using the library, there may be barriers preventing them from participating.

That philosophy has shaped many of the initiatives introduced or expanded by the Children’s Department, from sensory-friendly spaces and evening programming for working families to creative opportunities that encourage children to become authors themselves.

Inspiring the Next Generation of Authors

Many of the department’s most successful programs have emerged from listening closely to the children and families who use the library. The Young Authors Collection, for example, grew out of children’s enthusiasm for creating their own comics and stories.

Rather than simply admiring their work, Duffy invited young creators to bring their stories to the library.

Today, more than 10 children regularly submit original comics and illustrated stories. Duffy laminates the books, catalogs them, assigns barcodes, and places them on the shelves where other children can check them out.

The program has evolved into a creative community of young writers and artists who share ideas, inspire one another, and connect through storytelling.

Allison Burdi, whose 11-year-old son Jackson loves to write, said, “The experience that has had the most meaningful impact in the library is the child authors’ section. The children can bring in their own books, comics, etc., and Miss Adriana publishes the children’s work. There is a whole section of local kid authors who are published and in the library circulation for other kids to check out. My son is an aspiring comic book writer, and this experience has allowed him to feel a sense of accomplishment, knowing that he is a New Fairfield Library published author. Some of the kids have made connections, meeting with each other to discuss their published books and comics.”

Making the Library Accessible to All Community Members

Another initiative recognized through the award is the library’s sensory corner, designed to make the library more welcoming for children with sensory sensitivities and autism.

The project was developed in collaboration with a New Fairfield High School student whose Senior Enrichment Experience (SEE) project focused on accessibility. Drawing on her own experiences on the autism spectrum, the student helped select sensory tools, noise-reduction equipment, lighting options, and other resources that now help children feel more comfortable participating in library programs.

The department also works to accommodate families whose schedules make it difficult to attend traditional daytime programs. In addition to afternoon and evening activities, the library offers digital resources, museum passes, drop-in crafts, take-home activities, and flexible programming throughout the year.

“We really think of the library as belonging to the community,” Duffy said. “Our job is to give people what they want and what they need.”

Learning Beyond the Bookshelves

That community-centered approach also inspired one of the library’s newest additions: a mobile teaching kitchen known as a Charlie Cart.

Few visitors expect to find a fully equipped teaching kitchen inside a children’s library, but the Charlie Cart has quickly become one of the department’s most distinctive offerings.

The mobile kitchen allows children and teens to prepare recipes ranging from pita bread and tzatziki to chicken burrito bowls while learning practical cooking skills. This summer, participants will take the concept one step further by planting fruits and vegetables in a community garden plot at the New Fairfield Senior Center. The plan is to incorporate the harvest into future cooking classes.

The programs reflect Duffy’s belief that today’s libraries must continue evolving to meet the interests and needs of the communities they serve.

“A lot of people think of the library as books and old-fashioned,” she said. “But we’re actually so many different things. We’re a community center. We’re education. But we’re also fun.”

Cortni Muir credits the library’s impact on her 9-year-old daughter Sydney, an NF Elementary School student. “My daughter attends the monthly Lego Club, a program that has been instrumental in developing her love for engineering and creativity. Ms. Adriana curates unique, high-level challenges for every session. The result is palpable: my daughter leaves these sessions brimming with excitement and confidence. This is not just play; it is skill-building facilitated by a staff that genuinely cares.”

Asked how she chose a career in children’s librarianship, Duffy said it was unexpected. She initially planned to work in museums before taking a part-time library position during the pandemic.

Then something changed.

“Interacting with the kids one-on-one and getting to see them get excited and grow and have that impact — it was just so rewarding,” she said. “It feels like you’re doing something important every day.”

Looking Ahead

Duffy hopes the library continues to evolve and reach families who may not yet see it as a resource for them.

She and her team remain focused on identifying gaps, listening to the community, and finding new ways to make the library welcoming and accessible to all.

The statewide award may recognize excellence in children’s services, but it also reflects something simpler: a small-town library’s commitment to ensuring every child has a place to learn, create, belong, and thrive.