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National Medal for Museum and Library Service Recognizes Madison Public Library’s Community Contributions

Madison Public Library will accept the 2016 National Medal for Museum and Library Service in Washington, D.C. on June 1.  First Lady Michelle Obama will present the award at a ceremony at the White House.
 
The National Medal for Museum and Library Service is the nation’s highest honor given to museums and libraries for service to the community, given by the Institute of Museum and Library Services.  “The Madison Public Library’s programs and services promote creativity, innovation, and collaboration.  Library initiatives—such as their early literacy efforts delivered through home health nurses and service to homeless residents—address community challenges and engage residents in new and exciting ways,” said Dr. Kathryn K. Matthew, director of the Institute of Museum and Library Services. “As one of the 2016 National Medal for Museum and Library Service recipients, the Madison Public Library has shown an unwavering commitment to improving the lives of the people it serves. They are extremely deserving of this honor.”
 
Library Director Greg Mickells will accept the award on behalf of Madison Public Library.  He will be joined by community member Rob Franklin, known locally as Rob Dz, who will share how the library’s Bubbler program and Media Lab services have helped his music career, and how he has volunteered to share his talents with youth through the library’s Artist in Residence and Making Justice programs.  They will be joined at the White House by Tracy Kuczenski, library board president.  The event will be streamed live at http://www.whitehouse.gov/live, and archived for later viewing on the library’s web site.
 
“The National Medal is truly a community achievement.  We are honored to accept this prestigious award that recognizes the dedication and hard work of our staff who work with many individuals and community partners who inspire Madison Public Library to create innovative, engaging programs that have a deep and long-lasting impact on our community,” said Library Director Greg Mickells.
 
To celebrate, all nine Madison Public Library locations will host community receptions on Wednesday, June 1 from 4-6 pm where visitors are invited to stop in for cookies, giveaways, and to learn more about the National Medal for Museum and Library Service and the library’s programs and services.
 
June 1 is also the first day youth can sign up for the library’s summer reading clubs.  This year’s theme is Read Like a Badger: On Your Mark, Get Set – READ!  Last year nearly 10,000 preschool and school-aged children and teens participated in the program through libraries, group summer reading programs at area day cares and summer camps, and the Read Up! program that offered literacy-rich summer programming at two Madison Metropolitan School District summer school sites.  Read Up! has had a measurable impact on reducing summer learning loss for participants over a two year period, and will expand to four sites in 2016.
 
For a complete list of 2016 recipients and to learn more about the National Medal winners, please visit https://www.imls.gov/2016-medals.   To learn more about Madison Public Library’s award, visit http://madisonpubliclibrary.org/national-medal

About Madison Public Library
Madison Public Library’s tradition of promoting education, literacy and community involvement has enriched the City of Madison for more than 140 years.  Our nine locations throughout the City of Madison are open six days per week and welcome over 2.2 million visits each year. For more information, visit madisonpubliclibrary.org, Facebook or Twitter.
 
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 123,000 libraries and 35,000 museums. Our mission is to inspire libraries and museums to advance innovation, lifelong learning, and cultural and civic engagement. Our grant making, policy development, and research help libraries and museums deliver valuable services that make it possible for communities and individuals to thrive. To learn more, visit www.imls.gov and follow us on Facebook and Twitter.

 

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