On January 14, 2008, the
Institute of Museum and Library Services held an afternoon
Symposium to celebrate the institutions who had received
the National Medal for Museum and Library Services at
the White House that morning. In two panels, community
representatives and institutional representatives (such
as a director or CEO) from each winning institution were
given a chance to share their story about their institution
and what makes it exceptional.
The Symposium was recorded, and is now available
as podcasts. Click the links below to access the mp3 files.
Having trouble? Contact
the IMLS Webmaster.
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Welcome
Listen to Podcast
Dr. Anne-Imelda M. Radice, Director
Institute of Museum and Library Services
Sonya Medina, Director, AT&T Foundation |
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The symposium
audience listens to Sonya Medina's opening remarks. |
Panel 1: Community Members
Listen
to Podcast
Moderated by Mary L. Chute, Deputy Director for Libraries
Institute of Museum and Library Services
(See list of Community Members
below) |
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The community
member
panel assembles. |
Panel 2: Institution
Representatives
Listen to Podcast
Moderated by Marsha Semmel
Deputy Director for Museums and Director for Strategic Partnerships,
Institute of Museum and Library Services Speakers:
• Lawrence Pijeaux, Jr., President and CEO, Birmingham
Civil Rights Institute • Stuart Strahl, President
and CEO, Brookfield Zoo, Chicago Zoological Society
• Dwight McInvaill, Director, Georgetown County Library
• Victor Zazueta, Director, Kim Yerton Branch,
Humboldt County Library • E. Keenon McCloy, Division
Director, Memphis Public Library & Information Center
• Susan Fisher Sterling, Acting Director, National
Museum of Women in the Arts • David Spadafora,
President and Librarian, The Newberry Library •
Elaine McConnell, Director, Ocean County Library
• Nancy Steuber, Director, Oregon Museum of Science
and Industry • J. Kevin Graffagnino, Executive
Director, Vermont Historical Society |
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Dr.
Radice thanks the speakers at the end of the second panel. |
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Community Members:
Shirina Davenport (Birmingham Civil Rights
Institute, or BCRI)
Shirina, a family involvement coordinator with Birmingham City
Schools, helped plan, implement, and run the Birmingham Cultural
Alliance Partnership (BCAP), a collaborative after-school enrichment
program administered by the BCRI. Davenport’s son, Chris,
was touched by his exposure to the BCAP program and its BCRI
Youth Performing Ensemble.
Luis Mendez (Brookfield Zoo)
Luis, a 2006 graduate of Illinois State University, chose his
career as a science educator based upon his nine-year involvement
with the Brookfield Zoo. Luis joined the summer program as a
high school freshman-volunteer, and over subsequent summers,
moved up the Zoo’s Career Ladder for Youth Program. He
is now a science educator at the Shedd Aquarium.
George Geer (Georgetown County Library)
The Library has made George into the man that he is today. From
the time he was old enough to sit upright, the library became
a second home, where he learned the value of a free and open
information source to a democratic society. The desire to share
this discovery spurred Geer to obtain a master’s degree
in English literature and to teach high school English and journalism.
Connie McKinnon (Kim Yerton Branch, Humboldt
County Library)
During a difficult time for the McKinnon family, the Library
provided a place of stability and opportunity for the McKinnons
and their five children. The younger children attended story
times and the older children used the computers and participated
in the after-school and summer programs. Connie began working
with the tribal school programs, eventually becoming a literacy
paraprofessional at Hoopa Elementary School.
Aurelia Kyles (Memphis Public Library
& Information Center)
When she moved to Memphis 20 years ago, the Library helped Aurelia
and her family to become part of their new community. Kyles
watched her daughter’s skills strengthen through her involvement
with the library and, over the years, she came to rely on the
library to help fulfill her volunteer roles. As a church leader
in a medium-size, African-American congregation, she shows the
church leaders and congregation how to access library resources.
Amalia Amaki (National Museum of Women
in the Arts, or NMWA)
In 2005, NMWA selected Amalia for a retrospective exhibition
of 3-dimensional artwork that incorporated fabric, beads, pearls,
buttons, paint, found objects and glitter. The Boxes, Buttons
and the Blues show marked a milestone in her career, placing
her art before audiences from around the country and providing
opportunities to engage attendees, address media audiences,
and participate in onsite programming.
Jereldine RedCorn (The Newberry Library)
Jereldine, a member of the Caddo Tribe living in Norman, OK,
single-handedly revived the art of Caddo pottery using texts
found in the Library’s Edward E. Ayer Collection and the
D’Arcy McNickle Research Center. Originating in Arkansas,
Caddo Indians were masters of working with clay, but, until
recently, Jereldine was the only living Caddo traditional potter.
Elias Vazquez (Ocean County Library)
When Elias first came to this country from Mexico, he had never
been to a public library, but he quickly became an avid library
user and learned how to read through a library program. In his
current position as a SMART kids tutor, Elias now has an opportunity
to give back to the community that has served him so well by
helping Spanish speaking children who are new to this country.
He has almost completed his associate’s degree, and will
next pursue his bachelor’s degree. His ultimate goal is
to complete a Master of Library Science degree.
Priyam Shah (Oregon Museum of Science
and Industry, or OMSI)
Born and raised in Portland, OR, 15-year-old Priyam has immersed
himself in science at numerous OMSI camps and weekend activities
for more than a decade. Then, just two years ago, Shah learned
about sustainable and green practices through OMSI’s Rising
Star Youth Leadership Program. Priyam’s passion for energy
efficiency and sustainable practices prompted him to research
and develop economic models to convince his parents to embrace
eco-friendly practices when they built their new home.
Marilyn Blackwell (Vermont Historical
Society, or VHS)
More than 35 years ago, Marilyn began volunteering for the library
while she tried to discern a new career pathway. Her volunteer
activities and many hours in the stacks at the VHS library launched
her on a track back to graduate school for a master’s
degree and then a doctorate in U.S. history. With the guidance
of a welcoming and skilled librarian and the numerous scholars,
antiquarians, and genealogists who regularly congregate at the
archives, she got hooked on history.
IMLS is grateful to AT&T for its generous
support of the White House National Medals Award Ceremony
and Symposium. The History Channel made possible the video
celebrating the Award winners. Additional support was provided
by 3M Library Systems and Metal Edge, Inc. Archival Storage
Materials.
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