10 Museums and Libraries Receive National Medal

[Posted on behalf of Dr. Hastings]

Our Georgetown County Library is one of the ten to receive this

prestigious award! Way to go, Georgetown!

sam

The following is a text-only press release from the federal Institute

Of Museum and Library Services (IMLS). An HTML version of this release

With photos can be read on the agency's Web site at

http://www.imls.gov/news/2007/110607.shtm.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

November 6, 2007

IMLS Press Contacts

202-653-4632

Jeannine Mjoseth, jmjoseth@imls.gov

Mamie Bittner, mbittner@imls.gov

Five Museums and Five Libraries Receive Nation's Highest Honor for

Extraordinary Community Service

Institutions will be Honored in Washington, D.C. Ceremony and Receive

$10,000 award

WASHINGTON, DC--Five museums and five libraries have been selected for

the 2007 National Medal for Museum and Library Service, the nation's

highest honor for the extraordinary public service provided by these

institutions, announced Anne-Imelda M. Radice, Director of the federal

Institute of Museum and Library Services. In keeping with the 2007

Name change to the National Medal for Museum and Library Service

(previously known as the National Award), recipient institutions will be awarded a

newly-minted medal in recognition of their extraordinary civic,

educational, economic, environmental, and social contributions. Each

organization will also be honored in a special ceremony in Washington,

D.C., and receive a $10,000 award.

The winners of the 2007 National Medal for Museum and Library Service

are:

1. Birmingham Civil Rights Institute, Birmingham, Alabama:

http://www.imls.gov/news/2007/110607_bcri.shtm

2. Brookfield Zoo of the Chicago Zoological Society, Brookfield,

Illinois: http://www.imls.gov/news/2007/110607_brookfield.shtm

3. Georgetown County Library, Georgetown, South Carolina:

http://www.imls.gov/news/2007/110607_georgetown.shtm

4. Kim Yerton Branch of the Humboldt County Library, Hoopa,

California: http://www.imls.gov/news/2007/110607_kimyerton.shtm

5. Memphis Public Library & Information Center, Memphis,

Tennessee:

http://www.imls.gov/news/2007/110607_memphis.shtm

6. National Museum of Women in the Arts, Washington, DC:

http://www.imls.gov/news/2007/110607_nmwa.shtm

7. The Newberry Library, Chicago, Illinois:

http://www.imls.gov/news/2007/110607_nwberry.shtm

8. Ocean County Library, Toms River, New Jersey:

http://www.imls.gov/news/2007/110607_ocean.shtm

9. Oregon Museum of Science and Industry, Portland, Oregon:

http://www.imls.gov/news/2007/110607_omsi.shtm

10. Vermont Historical Society, Barre, Vermont:

http://www.imls.gov/news/2007/110607_vhs.shtm

"The Institute of Museum and Library Services is awarding the National

Medal to these 10 museums and libraries because they provide

ground-breaking programs that respond to community challenges, serve

as models for the nation's museums and libraries, and most of all make a

difference in people's lives. I applaud their good work and encourage

others to follow their example," Radice said.

As the primary source of federal funding for museums and libraries,

The Institute has a unique vantage point of the vital role these

institutions play in American society. The National Medal for Museum

and Library Service was created to underscore that role. The winners are

As diverse as the nation's cultural landscape: small and large, urban and

rural. They have one thing in common: they have developed innovative

ways to serve their communities.

Visit

http://www.imls.gov/results.asp?program=1005,1006&description=on&sort=year

to view past recipients of the National Medal.

Nominate a museum or library for the 2008 National Medal for Museum

And Library Service at http://www.imls.gov/about/awards.shtm. (Application

Deadline is February 15, 2008.)

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 122,000 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 http://www.imls.gov.