| FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
October 7, 2008
Press Contact
202-653-4632
Jeannine Mjoseth, jmjoseth@imls.gov
To access high resolution photos of each
winner with the First Lady and IMLS Director Anne Radice,
please click on the numbered links below. High-resolution
images are available for press and public use by clicking
on the thumbnail image.
First Lady Laura
Bush Recognizes Top Ten Museums and Libraries
at White House Ceremony
Florida, Illinois, Indiana,
Maine, Missouri, New York,
Pennsylvania, Puerto Rico, and Wyoming Institutions Honored
 |
Mrs. Laura Bush
delivers her opening remarks. Click image for a
larger version. All photos by Earl Zubkoff |
Washington, DC—First
Lady Laura Bush presented the 2008 National Medal for
Museum and Library Service to five museums and five libraries
at a White House ceremony on October 7, 2008. The National
Medal is the highest honor the nation confers on these
institutions for their outstanding contribution to America’s
communities. The awards are made annually by the Institute
of Museum and Library Services (IMLS) to museums and libraries
that have demonstrated a long-term commitment to public
service through innovative programs and community partnerships.
“Congratulations to the
winners of the 2008 National Medal for Museum and Library
Service,” said Mrs. Bush. “The programs and
services they provide are very important to the nation
and to the communities they serve. These outstanding libraries
and museums have enriched the lives of their patrons by
helping them expand their knowledge and explore their
imaginations.”
IMLS Director Anne-Imelda Radice,
PhD, said, “These 10 museums and libraries have
gone above and beyond the call of duty to make a real
difference in their communities. They reach out to people
of all ages and backgrounds and invite them to explore
our wonderfully diverse history, culture, and literature.
I thank them for their good work and encourage others
to follow their shining example.”
Winners of the 2008 National
Medal for Museum and Library Service are:
- Buffalo Bill
Historical Center, Cody, WY
- The Franklin
Institute, Philadelphia, PA
- General
Lew Wallace Study and Museum, Crawfordsville, IN
- Jane
Stern Dorado Community Library, Inc., Dorado, PR
- Kansas City
Public Library, Kansas City, MO
- Lower East
Side Tenement Museum, New York, NY
- Miami-Dade
Public Library System, Miami, FL
- Norton
Museum of Art, West Palm Beach, FL
- Skidompha
Library, Damariscotta, ME
- Skokie Public
Library, Skokie, IL
The award includes a prize
of $10,000 to each recipient. This is the second year
that IMLS has presented the National Medals to 10 institutions.
In previous years, the National Medal was known as the
National Award for Museum and Library Service and was
awarded to three museums and three libraries.
The White House ceremony is
followed on October 8, 2008, by a symposium featuring
presentations by community members whose lives have been
positively affected by the institutions, and the directors
of the institutions. To learn more about the institutions
and community members, please click on the winners’
names.
The History Channel; Americans
for the Arts; Hollinger/Metal Edge, Inc. Archival Storage
Materials; and 3M Library Systems generously supported
the National Medals celebration.
Important Links:
2008
National Medal Brochure (PDF, 1MB)
2008
National Medal Video
IMLS
Director Anne Radice's Biography
Mrs.
Laura Bush's Biography
Mrs.
Laura Bush's Remarks
Symposium
Invitation (October 8, 2008)
Fact
Sheet on the National Medal
Past
Winners of the National Medal for Museum and Library Service
Nominate
a Museum or Library for a National Medal
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