Laura Bush Recognizes Top Libraries

By SLJ Staff -- School Library Journal, 10/14/2008 8:57:00 PM

First Lady Laura Bush last week presented five libraries with the 2008 National Medal for Museum and Library Service, the highest honor the nation confers on these institutions for their outstanding contribution to America's communities.

First Lady Laura Bush delivers her opening remarks.
Photo: Earl Zubkoff

The awards are made annually by the Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS) to institutions that have demonstrated a long-term commitment to public service through innovative programs and community partnerships and comes with a $10,000 prize for each recipient.

The winning libraries are:

Jane Stern Dorado Community Library (JSDCL) in Dorado, PR
To engage local youth in reading and other activities, JSDCL offers the Story Hour program, which invites authors and special guests to read books to participants. It draws groups of at least 60 children to the library each week from private and public elementary schools, and includes clowns and other live entertainment as part of the program. Summer workshops for kids include classes on art, photography, Tae Kwon Do, and the importance of ethical behavior.

Kansas City Public Library (KCPL )in Kansas City, MO
KCPL’s programming includes the Books to Go project, which delivers books monthly to more than 7,000 preschool-aged children through Head Start programs and other similar venues. Once Upon a Time, an interactive exhibit presented at the Central Library in winter 2008, brought to life fairy tales from around the world through kid-sized activity areas that encourage imaginative play by allowing participants to dress like the characters in the stories.

Miami-Dade Public Library System in Miami, FL
Kids in the Miami-Dade area are invited to participate in the Science, Math and Reading Tutoring (or S.M.A.R.T.) program, a no-cost initiative that pairs students aged five to 18 with trained teachers who can help them work through their homework and study for tests on Saturdays throughout the school year. In a partnership with the Miami Lighthouse for the Blind, visually impaired and blind children, and kids who have their sight, come together for the annual Make-a-Bookmark Contest. Winners of the contest have their bookmarks printed and distributed by the library system.

Skidompha Public Library in Damariscotta, ME
For elementary to high school students, the library has a Books in Motion (BIM) initiative, a community reading program designed to address studies that show that children often stop reading around middle school. Each month, a different book is read, and local businesses pay for a copy of the book to be given to the first 40 BIM participants. At the end of the month, the movie based on the chosen book is screened, free of charge, for members of the Damariscotta community. Following the movie, a discussion involving people of all ages is held to compare the book to the film.

Skokie Public Library in Skokie IL
With 42 percent of its residents foreign-born and 97 languages other than English spoken at home—including Russian, Spanish, Tagalog, Korean, Chinese, Urdu, Gujarati, and Greek—Skokie, Illinois, is recognized as one of the most diverse cities in the United States. The Skokie Public Library (SPL) embraces the diversity of its constituency and takes great pride in targeting and tailoring its programming to the many and varied populations it serves.