2010 National Medal for Museum and Library Service
Highlights Video
INNOVATION.
INFORMATION.
IDEAS.
THE INSTITUTE OF MUSEUM AND LIBRARY SERVICES HONORS TEN OF THE NATION’S EXTRAORDINARY
MUSEUMS AND LIBRARIES THAT ARE HELPING CITIZENS BUILD 21ST-CENTURY SKILLS AND GLOBAL AWARENESS.
THE INSTITUTE OF MUSEUM AND LIBRARY SERVICES IS THE NATION’S PRIMARY SOURCE OF FEDERAL
support FOR MUSEUMS AND LIBRARIES, SERVING COMMUNITIES ACROSS THE NATION.
WE CONGRATULATE THE WINNERS OF THE TWO THOUSAND AND TEN NATIONAL MEDAL FOR MUSEUM AND LIBRARY
SERVICE.
AT Conner Prairie Interactive History Park IN INDIANA, VISITORS HAVE THE UNIQUE OPPORTUNITY
TO “WALK A MILE” IN THE SHOES OF PEOPLE WHO LIVED IN THE 19TH CENTURY.
WHETHER IT’S EXPERIENCING THE FIGHT FOR FREEDOM AS A RUNAWAY SLAVE ON THE UNDERGROUND
RAILROAD, OR CELEBRATING THE DIVERSE CUSTOMS AND CULTURES OF THEIR MODERN-DAY NEIGHBORS,
VISITORS ARE GIVEN NEW INSIGHTS ABOUT THE PAST AND ITS IMPACT ON THE PRESENT.
ON ANY GIVEN DAY AT Explora in Albuquerque, New Mexico, A VISITOR MAY COME ACROSS CHILDREN
MIXING COLORS, A FATHER SHOWING HIS CHILD THE MECHANICS OF CONSTRUCTION, OR TEENAGE
FRIENDS TINKERING WITH ELECTRICITY.
WITH THE TRANSFER OF INFORMATION, AND THE DEVELOPMENT OF THOUGHT, EXPLORA OFFERS ITS
COMMUNITY MORE THAN 550 INQUIRY-BASED PROGRAMS AND EXHIBITS THAT ENCOURAGE CRITICAL-THINKING
AND FOSTER LIFELONG SCIENCE LEARNING.
ESTABLISHED IN 1985, THE JAPANESE AMERICAN NATIONAL MUSEUM IN LOS ANGELES, EXPLORES AMERICAN
HISTORY THROUGH THE LENS OF JAPANESE AMERICAN EXPERIENCES.
THROUGH ITS PROGRAMS LIKE “FIGHTING FOR DEMOCRACY: WHO IS THE ‘WE’ IN ‘WE, THE
PEOPLE’?”
AND “ENDURING COMMUNITIES: THE JAPANESE AMERICAN EXPERIENCE IN ARIZONA, COLORADO,
NEW MEXICO, TEXAS, AND UTAH, THE MUSEUM INTERPRETS AND TEACHES THE COMPLEX ISSUES OF DEMOCRACY,
PLURALISM, AND CIVIL LIBERTIES.
THE MISSISSIPPI MUSEUM OF ART IS NOT JUST AN ART MUSEUM, BUT AN ART MUSEUM THAT EMBODIES
THE CULTURAL IDENTITY OF MISSISSIPPI.
This distinction is the basis for all of the work at the museum, FROM ITS PERMANENT “MISSISSIPPI
STORY” EXHIBITION TO ITS “LIFE SHARDS” ART PROGRAM FOR FAMILIES DISPLACED BY KATRINA,
These programs CONTINUALLY GROUND THE MUSEUM IN A SENSE OF PLACE AND COMMUNITY.
IN NASHVILLE, TENNESSEE, THE QUESTION ISN’T IF THE PUBLIC LIBRARY SHOULD BE INCLUDED IN
NEW INITIATIVES—THE QUESTION IS HOW.
DEEPLY INVOLVED IN THE NEEDS OF ITS CITY, THE NASHVILLE PUBLIC LIBRARY USES THIS SUPPORT
TO IMPROVE LOCAL PUBLIC SCHOOL LIBRARIES, HOST LITERACY-BASED MARIONETTE SHOWS FOR YOUTH,
AND EDUCATES ITS COMMUNITY ABOUT CULTURES CLOSE TO HOME AND FAR AWAY.
IN THE HEART OF THE BRONX, THOUSANDS OF PLANTS, HERBS, FRUITS, VEGETABLES, AND TREES THRIVE
ON TWO HUNDRED AND FIFTY ACRES OF PRESERVED GREENSPACE, CAREFULLY CULTIVATED AND MAINTAINED
BY THE NEW YORK BOTANICAL GARDEN.
FIRST AND FOREMOST, An advocate FOR THE PLANT KINGDOM, THE GARDEN USES ITS EXPERTISE AND
UNPARALLELED FACILITIES TO STRENGTHEN COMMUNITY LIFE AND REACH OUT WITH PROGRAMS, EVENTS,
EXHIBITIONS, AND CLASSES THAT EMPHASIZE THE IMPORTANCE OF environmental conservation,
HEALTHY LIVING, AND SCIENCE EDUCATION.
BASIC LITERACY, INFORMATION LITERACY, AND LIFE SKILLS LITERACY DRIVE THE PROGRAMMING
AT THE PATCHOGUE-MEDFORD LIBRARY, IN PATCHOGUE, NEW YORK.
TODAY, THE LIBRARY FOCUSES ITS EFFORTS ON EDUCATING AND UNITING ITS SPANISH - AND ENGLISH-SPEAKING
POPULATIONS WITH SHARED LEARNING OPPORTUNITIES.
“IF IT’S HAPPENING, IT’S HAPPENING HERE.”
THIS IS THE sentiment shared by residents of Marquette, Michigan about the Peter White
Public Library.
AND THEY HAVE THE NUMBERS TO PROVE IT!
EVEN WITH A MODEST BUDGET, THE LIBRARY BOASTS CIRCULATION AND ATTENDANCE FIGURES THREE TIMES
THAT OF OTHER LIBRARIES ITS SIZE in Michigan.
THROUGH ITS PROGRAMS THAT CHALLENGE PATRONS TO EXPAND THEIR KNOWLEDGE AND OPEN THEIR MINDS,
THE LIBRARY HAS SECURED A SPECIAL PLACE IN ITS COMMUNITY.
THE “ANYTHINK” WAY OF OPERATING AT THE RANGEVIEW LIBRARY DISTRICT IN Adams County,
COLORADO HAS NOT ONLY INCREASED PROGRAMS, BUT also doubled ATTENDANCE AND tripled the
CIRCULATION OF MATERIALS.
KNOWN AS THE REVOLUTION OF RANGEVIEW LIBRARIES, ANYTHINK throws out longstanding conventions,
and encourages patrons TO JOIN IN INNOVATIVE WAYS TO MAKE THE LIBRARY THEIR OWN.
(Children) “I think it’s awesome!”
ANYTHINK IS POSSIBLE!
AT THE WEST BLOOMFIELD TOWNSHIP PUBLIC LIBRARY, STRATEGIC PARTNERSHIPS WITH PARENTS, NON-PROFITS,
AND LOCAL GOVERNMENT AGENCIES GUARANTEE THAT—EVEN WITH LIMITED FUNDS—THE LIBRARY IS ABLE TO
MEET THE NEEDS OF ITS MICHIGAN COMMUNITY.
WITH INTERACTIVE SPACES FOR FAMILIES TO PLAY AND LEARN, VERBAL DEVELOPMENT SCREENINGS FOR
CHILDREN, AND EMPLOYMENT-RELATED PROGRAMMING, THE LIBRARY WORKS TIRELESSLY TO ENRICH THE
LIVES OF THE SURROUNDING COMMUNITY.
THE INSTITUTE OF MUSEUM AND LIBRARY SERVICES IS PROUD TO HONOR THE EXEMPLARY WINNERS OF
THE TWO THOUSAND AND TEN NATIONAL MEDAL FOR MUSEUM AND LIBRARY SERVICES.
THIS PRESENTATION WAS CREATED FOR THE INSTITUTE OF MUSEUM AND LIBRARY SERVICES BY THE HISTORY
CHANNEL.