FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
September 29, 2008

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

Five Museums and Five Libraries to Receive Nation’s Highest Honor
at White House Ceremony

Florida, Illinois, Indiana, Maine, Missouri, New York,
Pennsylvania, Puerto Rico, and Wyoming Institutions to be Awarded

Click image for a larger version.

Washington, DC—First Lady Laura Bush will award five museums and five libraries the 2008 National Medal for Museum and Library Service, the nation's highest honor, at a White House ceremony on October 7. Each year, the federal Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS), in coordination with the White House, presents the National Medal to 10 museums and libraries in recognition of their extraordinary civic, educational, economic, environmental, and social contributions.

“These 10 museums and libraries have gone above and beyond the call of duty to make a real difference in their communities. They reach out to people of all ages and backgrounds and invite them to explore our wonderfully diverse history, culture, and literature. I thank them for their good work and encourage others to follow their shining example,” said IMLS Director Anne-Imelda M. Radice.

Winners of the 2008 National Medal for Museum and Library Service are:

1. Buffalo Bill Historical Center, Cody, WY
2. The Franklin Institute, Philadelphia, PA
3. General Lew Wallace Study and Museum, Crawfordsville, IN
4. Jane Stern Dorado Community Library, Inc., Dorado, PR
5. Kansas City Public Library, Kansas City, MO
6. Lower East Side Tenement Museum, New York, NY
7. Miami-Dade Public Library System, Miami, FL
8. Norton Museum of Art, West Palm Beach, FL
9. Skidompha Library, Damariscotta, ME
10. Skokie Public Library, Skokie, IL

In addition to the National Medal, each institution receives a $10,000 award. This is the second year that IMLS has presented the National Medals to 10 institutions. In previous years, the National Medal was known as the National Award for Museum and Library Service and was awarded to three museums and three libraries. To learn more about the institutions and community members, please click on the winners’ names.

Media availability: Members of the press interested in attending the White House ceremony, please contact IMLS Public Affairs Officer Jeannine Mjoseth (jmjoseth@imls.gov; 202-653-4632.)

The White House ceremony will be followed on October 8 by a symposium featuring presentations by community members whose lives have been positively affected by the institutions, and the directors of the institutions. The press and public are invited to attend the symposium. (Please see link to the symposium invitation below.)

IMLS would like to thank The History Channel; Americans for the Arts; Hollinger/Metal Edge, Inc. Archival Storage Materials; and 3M Library Systems for their generous support of the National Medals celebration.

Important Links:

2008 National Medal Brochure (PDF, 1MB)

2008 National Medal Video

IMLS Director Anne Radice's Biography

Symposium Invitation (October 8, 2008)

Fact Sheet on the National Medal

Past Winners of the National Medal for Museum and Library Service

Nominate a Museum or Library for a National Medal

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 www.imls.gov.