Life

Rushing honored as Public Library Director of the Year

Trina Rushing

By Lightning Reports, Published: December 13, 2025

The North Carolina Public Library Directors Association has awarded Trina Rushing, director of the Henderson County Public Library, the prestigious 2025 Director of the Year Award.

Presented at the NCPLDA Awards Ceremony on Dec. 11, the award recognizes Trina’s extraordinary contributions and dedication to enhancing library services and community engagement.

Since assuming the role of director in 2015, Rushing has worked to steer the library in a community-focused direction. Her leadership inspires staff at all levels to become advocates of library services. Her encouragement for staff to partner with local committees and organizations has fortified the library’s role as a key community resource. Her active involvement in groups like United Way underscores her commitment to community service. To further extend library services in Henderson County, she coordinated the acquisition of a new Mobile Library that launched in September 2025.

Rushing has been involved in several state-level organizations and committees, including the Outreach, Promotions and Partnerships Advisory Committee and Resource Advisory Committee for NC Live, the NC Digital Library, NC Cardinal and NCPLDA. Her leadership within NCPLDA has been instrumental, particularly through her roles on the Legislative Committee advocating for literacy and library funding. Her strategic engagement with legislators and state leaders has been pivotal in promoting library needs and initiatives.

Rushing’s commitment to public libraries and her community makes her a role model and a deserving recipient of the 2025 Director of the Year Award, Henderson County noted in a news release. Her leadership continues to inspire and elevate the standard of library services across the state.