FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
February 23, 2010

IMLS Press Contacts
202-653-4632
Jeannine Mjoseth, jmjoseth@imls.gov
Mamie Bittner, mbittner@imls.gov

To access high-resolution photos of each winner with Susan Sher, Chief of Staff to First Lady Michelle Obama, and Anne Radice, Director of the Institute of Museum and Library Services, please click on the numbered links below. To access the 2009 National Medal Winners video as well as video from the Awards Ceremony, click here.

IMLS Director Anne Radice Recognizes Top Ten Museums and Libraries
at Washington, D.C. Ceremony

California, Florida, Illinois, Indiana, Ohio, Oregon,
Pennsylvania, and Tennessee Institutions Honored

Dr. Anne-Imelda M. Radice welcomes medalists and guests. Click image for a larger version. All photos by Earl Zubkoff.

Washington, DC— Anne-Imelda M. Radice, Director of the Institute of Museum and Library Services, and Susan Sher, First Lady Michelle Obama’s chief of staff, presented the 2009 National Medal for Museum and Library Service, the nation’s highest honor, to five museums and five libraries at a Washington, D.C. ceremony on February 23, 2010. Every year, IMLS awards the National Medal to museums and libraries that have demonstrated a long-term commitment to public service through innovative programs and community partnerships.

“We are so proud of these museums and libraries,” said IMLS Director Anne-Imelda Radice, PhD. “Each one is a center of excellence providing knowledge, resources, and experiences to their communities. They are lifelong partners in discovery, imagination and learning that we can call on throughout our lives.”

“A core belief of First Lady Michelle Obama and President Obama is that everyone should have access to art, poetry, music, and books, all of which are available in museums and libraries. I would like to express the First Lady’s appreciation for everything you do day in and day out. We are a grateful partners in these efforts, which are core to our country’s success,” said Susan Sher, First Lady Michelle Obama’s Chief of Staff.

In conjunction with the awards ceremony, IMLS holds a symposium in which community members share compelling stories about how cultural institutions have changed their lives. Some of these and other community stories now can be preserved through an agreement between IMLS and StoryCorps. In addition to the National Medal and a $10,000 award, each 2009 Medal recipient will have the option of a three-day visit by StoryCorps. This independent nonprofit project honors and celebrates one another’s lives through recorded conversations that can be shared through a free CD and is preserved at the Library of Congress.

The 2009 National Medal winners include:

1. Braille Institute Library Services, Los Angeles, CA
2. Children's Museum of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA
3. Cincinnati Museum Center at Union Terminal, Cincinnati, OH
4. Gail Borden Public Library, Elgin, IL
5. Indianapolis Museum of Art, Indianapolis, IN
6. Multnomah County Library, Portland, OR
7. Museum of Science & Industry, Tampa, FL
8. Pritzker Military Library, Chicago, IL
9. Stark County District Library, Canton, OH
10. Tennessee Aquarium, Chattanooga, TN

Prior to National Medal awards ceremony, Washington, D.C. luminaries made remarks on, “Libraries, Museums, and the Life of the Nation” and on Dr. Radice’s contributions as IMLS director. Presenters included:

1. The Honorable Susan Sher, the First Lady Michelle Obama’s Chief of Staff
2. The Honorable Kathleen Sebelius, Secretary, Health and Human Services
3. The Honorable James Billington, Librarian of the United States Congress
4. The Honorable David Ferriero, 10th Archivist of the United States
5. The Honorable Rachel Goslins, President's Committee on the Arts and the Humanities, Executive Director
6. The Honorable Jim Leach, Chairman of the National Endowment for the Humanities
7. Richard Kurin, Smithsonian Under Secretary for History, Art, and Culture
8. The Honorable Dana Gioia, former Chairman of the National Endowment for the Arts
9. Larry Reger, Executive Director of Heritage Preservation
10. Debra Hess Norris, Chairperson of the Department of Art Conservation, University Delaware
11. Peggy O’Brien, Chief of Family and Public Engagement, D.C. Public Schools
12. Harriet Fulbright, President of the J. William and Harriet Fulbright Center
13. Emily Sheketoff, Associate Executive Director of the American Library Association
14. Ford Bell, President, American Association of Museums
15. Rep. Jason Altmire (D-PA-04)
16. Rep. Bill Foster (D-IL-14)

Important Links:

2009 National Medal Brochure (PDF, 1.2MB)

2009 National Medal Winners Video

2009 National Medals Ceremony Video (February 23, 2010)

IMLS Director Anne Radice's Biography

Symposium Invitation (February 22, 2010)

Fact Sheet on the National Medal

Past Winners of the National Medal for Museum and Library Service

About the Institute of Museum and Library Services
The Institute of Museum and Library Services is the primary source of federal support for the nation's 123,000 libraries and 17,500 museums. The Institute's mission is to create strong libraries and museums that connect people to information and ideas. The Institute works at the national level and in coordination with state and local organizations to sustain heritage, culture, and knowledge; enhance learning and innovation; and support professional development. To learn more about the Institute, please visit www.imls.gov.