The Denver Public Library recently honored David Duffield with the 2023 Eleanor Gehres Award. Since 2015, David has worked with the DPL Western History and Genealogy Department to collect archives as part of the Colorado LGBTQ project for The Center on Colfax. This partnership has added 28 collections to the Western History Collection. It established an extensive resource to tell the story of the LGBTQ community in Denver. His support and hard work have helped the Western History Department create a significant LGBTQ research collection for the community.
In 1999, the Denver Public Library Commission established the Eleanor Gehres Award in recognition of Eleanor’s longtime service and contributions to the Western History and Genealogy Department of the Denver Public Library. This annual honor recognizes an individual or organization that has made a significant contribution to the Denver Public Library Western History Collection that enhances its value and/or expands the department’s significance to the community.