Recipient: Upper Hudson Library System
Location: Albany, NY
Grant: 2003 and 2004 Grants to State Library Agencies

The Challenge: To succeed in the 21st century the youth of today need skills in math, science, and technology. The Sky Camp project paired middle school teachers with the lifelong learning resources of public libraries to create a year-long educational series, enabling teens’ imaginations to take flight. Learn more.

I am proud that the Institute of Museum and Library Services is joining the National Endowment for the Arts in the Big Read program. This will energize a love of reading literature throughout the country.

The involvement of the Institute of Museum and Library Services with the Big Read is a natural. We plan to encourage libraries everywhere – in schools, in communities, and on campuses-- to take part in the Big Read. Libraries bring important expertise to this initiative. They are centers of civic engagement, where all kinds of community organizations – schools, museums, media, business – can come together. And libraries have librarians – trained, committed people who know their communities, know about learning, and have the ability to bring partners to the table. The many partnerships that will be created by the Big Read have great strength to unite communities around a common purpose. And that purpose is to use great literature to learn and be inspired, to think critically and explore different points of view, and to strengthen the fabric of our communities and of our nation. Because when people talk together about a book they have each read, something powerful happens. We are thrilled to play a part in this important initiative.

Anne-Imelda M. Radice, Director, IMLS

"Funding Opportunities for Special Libraries," Susan L. Malbin, Ph.D., Senior Program Officer, Office of Library Services, Special Libraries Association Annual Conference, Baltimore, MD, 6/13.

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