Amy Hurtado, Community Outreach Specialist at the Kenosha Public Library, is the recipient of the 2026 Pattie Johnston Outreach Award, presented by the Association of Bookmobile and Outreach Services (ABOS). This is a national award presented annually to just one bookmobile or outreach staff member for providing exemplary service to their community through bookmobile and outreach services.
“Receiving this recognition is a profound honor that reflects the collective dedication of our community. This award belongs to every library employee, volunteer, and educator who works alongside us to build a more inclusive, connected, and literate future for our children,” -Amy Hurtado”
Those familiar with Amy’s work see the dedication and service she brings every day to the Kenosha community through her outreach efforts and know how deserving she is of this award. “Amy embodies the essence of community outreach. She builds bridges between the library and the families we serve,” says Mary Stoner, Director of A Place to Grow where Amy does weekly outreach stops and monthly storytimes. Amy also visits other learning institutions like the Kenosha School of Language and some local Head Start classrooms where she performs bilingual storytimes.
Through these engaging bilingual storytimes and helping Spanish speakers register for library cards, Amy shatters language barriers to connect Kenoshans with equitable access to the many resources and services Kenosha Public Library offers. “Amy meets patrons exactly where they are, making them feel welcome and comfortable accessing library services no matter what their background is,” says Megan Nigh, Interim Head of Outreach, Programs, and Education at KPL.
What is most impressive about Amy may very well be her ability to completely captivate audiences of children, sometimes up to 60 at a time, through her storytelling. “Her storytelling is dynamic and expressive; children are not merely listening, they are transported. Through voice, movement, and carefully selected rhyming stories, Amy ensures that every child feels seen, included, and personally connected to the experience,” says Lisa Langsdorf, Youth Outreach Librarian at KPL.
Amy’s outreach efforts aren’t always as direct as reading and singing aloud to a group of children or helping a bilingual family sign up for library cards, either. Amy’s immersive displays like her Dia de los Muertos ofrenda and the three-dimensional octopus she created—which spanned the length of the bookmobile—often leave lasting impressions on people.
Through Amy’s talent of making community outreach vibrant and educational, Amy has mastered the art of drawing people in and sparking their curiosity. Her passion for outreach and commitment to bringing the Library to the community is why she was selected for the ABOS 2026 Pattie Johnston Outreach Award.
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