Mountain View Public & School Library library assistant honored with Excellence in Service Award

A Big Island librarian was recently honored by Friends of the Library of Hawaiʻi because she “always puts her patrons’ needs first.”

Mountain View Public & School Library Library Assistant Ambronette “Amber” Rivera is this year’s winner of the Excellence in Service Award.

Rivera received the award Feb. 18 during the Friends of the Library of Hawaiʻi annual Membership Meeting. Also honored that night was Public Librarian of the Year Managing Librarian of Library for the Blind and Print Disabled Matthew Brown.

The awards are given each year to exceptional staff members of Hawaiʻi State Public Library System and sponsored by Native Books.

Staff members are nominated by their library patrons for the awards. A Friends of the Library of Hawaiʻi committee select winners based on their outstanding service, dedication and commitment to promoting libraries and their place in the community.

Rivera and Brown — surrounded by co-workers and others — were congratulated by Hawaiʻi Gov. Josh Green and first lady Jaime Kanani Green and honored with special recognition certificates by their state legislators and council members.

Each received a personal cash award, Makana Akamai donation in their honor to purchase books and materials for their respective libraries, plus a gift card and books from Native Books.

Excellence in Service Award

Ambronette “Amber” Rivera — Mountain View Public & School Library

Rivera started working in 2012 for Hawaiʻi State Public Library System. She served patrons at Mililani Public Library and Kapolei Public Library on Oʻahu and Hilo Public Library on the Big Island before her current assignment in Mountain View.

Those who nominated Rivera said she “always puts her patrons’ needs first.”

“She greets everyone who enters, and knows most by name. She assists when needed and goes the extra mile to help patrons, especially kūpuna, with tech needs,” said her nominators.

Rivera also helps escort patrons to the library because of its location on a school campus. She has even been known to open the library when it is closed for lunch to help a patron pick up their library holds.

When asked about what she enjoys most about her job, Rivera shared that it’s all about the people.

She loves meeting new people, building relationships with patrons, making sure they have positive experiences at the library and they leave happy.

Public Librarian of the Year

Matthew Brown — Library for the Blind and Print Disabled

Brown has more than 12 years of service with Hawaiʻi State Public Library System. He became a librarian after serving 26 years in the U.S. Navy, using his GI Bill benefits to pursue a master’s degree in library science.

He is passionate about ensuring library patrons have access to library services for their whole lives.

Brown works tirelessly on outreach and promoting library services. He thinks public access to the library is fundamental to society.

“Matt goes way above and beyond his duties and responsibilities to anticipate and address the needs of the blind and visually impaired community,” said a library patron in a nomination statement for Brown. “Matt keeps up with the latest devices for braille and audio readers, and is truly interested in learning about them.”

Brown even goes above and beyond for library patrons outside of Library for the Blind and Print Disabled.

He dresses up as Santa Claus during the holidays and travels to dozens of library branches throughout the state to read stories and bring holiday cheer.