> Contact:  Eileen Maxwell, IMLS, 202-606-8339, [log in to unmask]
>
> Washington, DC, Sept. 11--Today, Robert Martin, newly appointed Director
> of the Institute of Museum and Library Services, announced the winners of
> the National Award for Museum and Library Service.  First Lady Laura Bush
> will present the awards at a White House ceremony on September 17, from
> 10:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m.  The awards are given annually to libraries and
> museums throughout the nation that make exceptional social, economic, or
> environmental contributions to their communities. This year's winners are:
>
> Alaska Resources Library and Information Service (ARLIS), Anchorage,
> Alaska
> Children's Discovery Museum of  San Jose, San Jose, California
> Hancock County Library System, Bay St. Louis, Mississippi
> Miami Museum of Science, Miami, Florida
> New England Aquarium, Boston, Massachusetts
> Providence Public Library, Providence, Rhode Island
>
> "This year's recipients are doing remarkable things," the First Lady said.
> "They are enriching lives and connecting people to each other and to the
> world.  They are making a difference in their communities.  I congratulate
> each of them for their dedication and enthusiasm." At the White House
> ceremony the First Lady will also receive community members whose lives
> were changed by these outstanding museums and libraries' programs.
>
> The awards are made by the Institute of Museum and Library Services
> (IMLS), the Federal agency that supports the nation's 10,000 museums and
> 122,000 libraries.  "These are the only awards that bestow national
> recognition to the museums and libraries that have uplifted individuals'
> lives, improved their communities, and made our nation better for it,"
> said Director Martin.
>
> For photographs and more information about the awards, this year's
> recipients, and the White House ceremony, please contact the IMLS Office
> of Public and Legislative Affairs at 202-606-8339.
>
> Alaska Resources Library & Information Services (ARLIS), Anchorage, Alaska
> By consolidating and preserving over 150,000 Alaskan natural and cultural
> resources from seven Federal, state, and university libraries slated for
> closure or downsizing, ARLIS staff literally saved the collections from
> extinction.  In the process, ARLIS became the single largest source of
> Alaskan resources information. ARLIS' knowledgeable staff facilitates wise
> development and conservation in Alaska by providing unbiased and universal
> access to information for scientists and the public. Press Contact: Nancy
> Tileston, 907-271-4579, [log in to unmask]
>
> Children's Discovery Museum of San Jose, San Jose, California
> In a community where people speak 144 different languages and where one in
> five children lives in poverty, two concerned mothers brainstormed ways to
> nurture young minds.  Today, over 150 exhibits and special programs meet
> the needs of San Jose's children at Children's Discovery Museum.
> Adolescents use on-site technology to build Web sites and develop computer
> expertise.  A thousand children explore the environment around nearby
> Guadalupe River, and Latino families gather regularly to recount stories
> and perform in traditional evening get-togethers called Lunadas.  These
> activities represent just some of the thoughtful relevance of the Museum's
> highly effective programming.  Press Contact: Cathy Fisher, 408-298-5437
> ext. 247, [log in to unmask]
>
> Hancock County Library System, Bay St. Louis, Mississippi
> The staff of the Hancock County Library System is committed to providing
> technological access to information where more than 50 percent of the
> County's population resides in unincorporated, rural communities. From Bay
> St. Louis, the county seat, the Library System's CONNECT project forged
> links to MAGNOLIA, the Mississippi Alliance for Gaining New Opportunities
> through Library Information Access and MissIn, Mississippi's Information
> Network. The Hancock County Library System is expanding that connectivity
> through FOCUS, a Free Online Computer User Service, to ensure that the
> information superhighway intersects with the country roads of Hancock
> County.  Press Contact: Mary Perkins, 228-467-6836,
> [log in to unmask]
>
> Miami Museum of Science, Miami, Florida
> Miami Museum of Science programs address the barriers that prevent females
> and minorities from entering the science and mathematics fields.  Students
> receive mentoring, college preparation classes, professional internships,
> computer access, and field research experience in the Museum's Upward
> Bound Math and Science Center. The result of such assistance is that 100
> percent of graduating seniors have enrolled in colleges and universities.
> In the NIH-funded BioTRAC program, the Museum provides students with
> internships at the University of Miami's world-renowned School of Medicine
> laboratories where they participate in cutting-edge research in fields
> such as diabetes, pediatric diseases, and nanotechnology.  Press Contact:
> Joy Satterlee, 305-646-4247, [log in to unmask]
>
> New England Aquarium, Boston, Massachusetts
> The New England Aquarium is dedicated to nurturing the world of water and
> Boston's youth.  The Aquarium's Afterschool Initiative, which includes
> hands-on science activities, teen internships, and family field trips,
> serves over 400 children enrolled with the Boston Boys and Girls Clubs and
> Citizens Schools.  Over 500 children participate in Harbor Discoveries,
> the Aquarium's unique summer camp.  Over 250 of Boston's children receive
> scholarships to attend. The Aquarium's collaboration with Boston Public
> Schools includes weeklong teacher sabbaticals, science curriculum
> development, access to the Teacher Resource Center, and over 4,000 free
> student admissions. Press Contact: Tony Lacasse, 617-973-5213,
> [log in to unmask]
>
> Providence Public Library, Providence, Rhode Island
> Each of the 10 neighborhoods Providence Public Library serves is
> considered economically disadvantaged. More than one half of the city's
> children live in poverty and one third of the school children came to the
> United States less than three years ago. Some 67 different languages are
> spoken in Providence. Through Art ConText the library partners with the
> Rhode Island School of Design to reach these young Americans with art and
> reading programs.  Through Teen POWer the library hires young adults in
> the community to work as reading and computer lab "buddies" to the other
> patrons.  The library's Family Literacy program has become the statewide
> model. During 2000, nearly 41,000 children and more than 12,000 adults
> used the library branches at which 4,118 programs activities were held.
> Press Contact: Ann S. Gooding, 401-455-8057, [log in to unmask]
>
> Overview of the IMLS Award Program
> IMLS' National Award for Museum and Library Service honors outstanding
> museums and libraries that demonstrate an ongoing institutional commitment
> to public service.  Recipients exhibit innovative approaches to public
> service, reaching beyond the expected levels of community outreach and
> core programs generally associated with libraries and museums. The
> National Award for Museum Service was established in 1994 and the National
> Award for Library Service in 2000. This year marks the first in which the
> two awards will be presented together.  As of today, 22 museums and 7
> libraries have won the award.
>
> Selection Process
> Any individual may nominate a museum and/or library in the United States
> and its territories for a National Award for Museum and Library Service.
> Members of the National Museum Services Board and the National Commission
> for Libraries and Information Science, the two presidentially appointed
> policy advisory boards of the IMLS, review the nominations and make
> recommendations to the IMLS Director.  The IMLS Director selects the final
> winners.
>
> About the Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS) - IMLS is an
> independent Federal agency that fosters leadership, innovation, and a
> lifetime of learning by supporting the nation's museums and libraries.
> Created by the Museum and Library Services Act of 1996, P.L. 104-208, IMLS
> administers the Library Services and Technology Act and the Museum
> Services Act.  IMLS has an annual budget of approximately $230 million.
> The Institute receives policy advice from two Presidentially appointed,
> Senate confirmed entities: the National Commission for Libraries and
> Information Science and the National Museum Services Board. Contact IMLS
> at 1100 Pennsylvania Ave., NW, Washington, D.C. 202-606-8339, or
> <http://www.imls.gov>.
>
> The White House reception honoring the 2001 recipients of the National
> Award for Museum and Library Service is made possible by support from
> netLibrary, Inc., 3M, EBSCO Industries, Inc., and MetLife.
>
> Eileen Maxwell
> Public Affairs Specialist
> Institute of Museum and Library Services
> 1100 Pennsylvania Ave., N.W.
> Suite 510
> Washington, DC  20506
> 202-606-8339
> 202-606-8591 (fax)
> [log in to unmask]
>

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