Remarks
by Laura Bush,
First Lady of the United States
AT THE
2005 NATIONAL AWARDS FOR MUSEUM AND LIBRARY SERVICE
The White House, Washington, DC
January 30, 2006
Welcome to the White House, and welcome to the celebration
of the 2005 National Awards for Museum and Library Service,
which is the nation's highest honor for museums and
libraries.
I want to recognize Senator Ted Stevens and Senator
Lisa Murkowski from Alaska, who have come here to join
their award winner. Thank you all very much. Senator
Mark Dayton from Minnesota, Mayor Chris Coleman from
St. Paul, Minnesota, who have come to stand with their
crowd. Mayor Cathy Finkbeiner, from Toledo, Ohio. Mary
Chute -- I'm sorry, Carty Finkbeiner, from Toledo, Ohio.
Mary Chute, the Acting Director of the Institute of
Museum and Library Services. All the IMLS board and
staff, thank you all for the work you do all year to
make sure museums and libraries stay the very center
of their communities, like they have been through our
history. Bruce Cole, the Chairman of the National Endowment
for the Humanities, thank you so much for coming, Bruce.
Also, Dr. Anne Radice, the Acting Assistant Chairman
of the National Endowment for the Humanities. President
Bush nominated Dr. Radice to serve as the next director
of IMLS. She's waiting on Senate confirmation. (Laughter.)
And we look forward to her confirmation. She has a wealth
of experience in education, arts and the humanities.
Welcome, Anne. Thank you for coming.
As all of you might guess, this is one of my favorite
events at the White House. I love to recognize libraries
and museums that are serving as models for the rest
of our country, that are really a part of the life of
each of their communities. And so I'm so thrilled to
get to recognize six great cultural institutions, the
ones that are the award winners today: COSI Toledo,
the Johnson County Library, the Levine Museum of the
New South, the Mathews Memorial Library, the Pratt Museum,
and the St. Paul Public Library. Each one of these cultural
institutions has demonstrated extraordinary service
to their communities, and they serve as models for the
rest of our country. Congratulations to each one of
you.
COSI Toledo is an integral part of the Toledo community.
This hands-on science museum offers innovative programs
for families and has helped teachers transform the way
they present science to their students. One of those
teachers is Pauline LoCascio, who has been teaching
at Birmingham Elementary School in Toledo for 35 years.
Pauline has taught at the museum, organized COSI festivals
at her school, and assisted with science and math nights
for families at the museum. Over the years, Pauline
has won numerous awards, but she says her greatest honor
is to have the privilege to touch the lives of so many
children.
It’s not an exaggeration to say that almost everyone
in Johnson County, Kansas, uses the Johnson County Library.
And no wonder. The Johnson County Library makes services
available to thousands of institutions, including schools,
professional associations, and community organizations.
Denise Upah, while meeting with a business partner
at the library, discovered how the library helps entrepreneurs,
with meeting rooms, access to business journals, and,
most important, access to the research librarian, now
on Denise's speed dial. (Laughter.) These days, Denise
teaches other business owners how to use the library's
extensive resources.
The Levine Museum of the New South has long been a
catalyst for civic awareness and involvement in Charlotte
-- North Carolina, that is. In 2004, the museum featured
a project called Courage: The Carolina Story That Changed
America. The project consisted of an exhibit on Brown
v. Board of Education; the premiere of a documentary
film; and discussions for community leaders.
The Carolina Story that Changed America also changed
the life of Brenda Tindal. Brenda worked as the research
assistant to the exhibit’s creator, Dr. Tom Hanchett.
Brenda credits Dr. Tom Hanchett with teaching her that
no matter how difficult the truth is, it's her duty
as a historian to tell it. And Brenda is now a Ph.D.
candidate in American Studies at Emory University.
Mathews Memorial Library supports a thriving community
in rural Mathews County, Virginia. Mathews Memorial
offers reading programs and computer training courses
for all age groups and proficiency levels. The library
also hosts summer programs, music appreciation sessions,
and oral history projects.
Mathews Memorial has been invaluable to Chong Degges.
Arriving in the United States with just a sixth-grade
education, Chong managed to start her own business,
which she owned for fourteen years. When she was forced
to sell the business because of health issues, Chong
knew she had to further her education. She signed up
for literacy training at the library. In less than a
year, she is well on her way to her GED. And with that
diploma in hand, she will begin taking classes at the
local community college.
The Pratt Museum in Homer, Alaska, has strong ties
with its local community. Among many collaborative efforts
is a series of videos produced by community members
and presented to Pratt's exhibits.
Nick Tanape uses video to document his traditional
way of life. Nick traveled the furthest, along with
the rest of his party, to be here today. When they left
home, the temperature was below zero, snow storms were
blowing, and Augustine Volcano was spewing off and on.
(Laughter.) But considering that Nick's father spent
much of each year hunting and kayaking over a thousand
miles in the rough seas of the Gulf of Alaska, Nick
is not complaining about his trip to Washington, D.C.
The St. Paul Public Library generates public and private
funding to invest in an array of community partnerships.
Regina Harris heard about a partnership between the
local St. Paul Public Library and a local college to
prepare individuals for careers as library para-professionals.
Regina applied and was accepted in the first class of
the Urban Library Program. She was then hired by the
St. Paul Public Library and now is in a Master of Library
Science program, so she can make literacy and library
administration her career.
These six institutions work for their communities and
with their communities, bringing education and opportunity
to the people they serve. Congratulations to each one
of you, and thanks for all you do.
Now it's my pleasure to introduce the Acting Director
of the Institute of Museum and Library Services, Mary
Chute. (Applause.)
