Werner received the 2023 Urban Libraries Council (ULC) Advocate of the Year Award.

Alumnus Lance Werner is executive director of the Kent District Library (KDL).

Before earning his master of library and information science from Wayne State in 2004, Werner received a juris doctor from the Michigan State University College of Law and is a member of the Michigan State Bar. Prior to joining KDL he was a library law specialist for the Library of Michigan and director of the Capital Area District Library.

Werner has received a number of local and national awards for his outstanding career. Most recently, he was named one of the 200 most influential leaders in West Michigan by Crain’s Grand Rapids Business and received the 2023 Urban Libraries Council (ULC) Advocate of the Year Award. The ULC recognition, awarded in partnership with EBSCO Information Services, is granted to an individual who practices and inspires fearless advocacy locally, within their state and nationally. Werner attended the ULC conference in Seattle to accept the award and was a member of the POWER: ULC Annual Forum Panel – Libraries Stand Tall: Rising to the Occasion.   

The recent recognition for which Werner is perhaps most proud is the Kent District Library’s 2023 Jerry Kline Community Impact Prize from the Gerald M. Kline Family Foundation and Library Journal. This prestigious national prize is awarded to only one library in the country. The award was created in 2019 to recognize the public library as a vital community asset. “One of the great joys of my life is being part of the KDL family and the community that it serves,” said Werner. “I’m so proud of our team!”

In November 2023 voters in the KDL service area overwhelmingly approved a 15-year millage renewal. “This millage will simultaneously save taxpayers money while securing our future and allowing us to continue serving our wonderful community,” Werner said. The lower millage will save taxpayers $3.1 million annually and allow KDL to continue offering its extensive collection, programs, services and outreach events to the community.

Werner was named Librarian of the Year in 2017 by the Michigan Library Association and in 2018 by Library Journal. He also has received the Distinguished Alumni Award from both the School of Information Sciences in 2014 and Wayne State University in 2017. Werner continues his service to the university, serving as a member of the school’s advisory board and participating in events on campus, including the October 2023 panel discussion Defending Access: Librarian Perspectives on Banned Books, where he served as moderator.

Werner’s service to the profession also extends to local professional organizations where he has served in several leadership positions including past president of the Michigan Library Association (MLA), chair of the MLA Legislative Committee, vice chair of the Library of Michigan Board and president of the Lakeland Library Cooperative Board.