Fayetteville Technical Community College recently announced that the Paul H. Thompson Library’s Living Law Project has received the 2025-26 Association of College and Research Libraries (ACRL) Community and Junior College Libraries Section (CJCLS) Community College Library Program Award, making it the first program in North Carolina to earn this national distinction.

The award recognizes significant achievement in outreach or academic programs in community college libraries. ACRL, a division of the American Library Association (ALA), presents the honor annually to celebrate excellence in academic and research librarianship.

“It’s a tremendous honor to receive this award,” said Mary DiRisio, dean of Paul H. Thompson Library, in a press release. “I’m grateful the Awards Committee recognized FTCC’s Living Law Project as a dynamic academic program.”

The Living Law Project is an annual event that brings community members directly to students, creating meaningful, discipline-specific learning opportunities. The ACRL CJCLS Awards Committee cited the program’s community collaboration and its team’s commitment to student success as key factors in its selection.

“By bringing community members directly to students, the program created meaningful, discipline-specific opportunities for student learning,” said Laura Mondt, chair of the CJCLS Awards Committee, in a press release.

DiRisio, a member of the American Library Association for more than 20 years, credited institutional leadership and her team for the program's success. She specifically acknowledged FTCC Vice President for Academic Support and Civic Engagement Dr. DeSandra Washington and FTCC President Dr. Mark Sorrells for their support in shaping the library as the College’s premier collaboration space.

“At its heart, this recognition celebrates the incredible institution where I work, and the colleagues, students and community members who've made Living Law a program that so many look forward to each year,” DiRisio said in a press release.

FTCC President Dr. Mark Sorrells praised both the library staff and DiRisio's leadership in achieving the milestone.

“Under the exceptional leadership of Mary DiRisio, our library has become a model of innovation and support, as exemplified by the Living Law Project,” Sorrells said in a press release. “We are honored to see her outstanding work recognized by the Association of College and Research Libraries.”