Contact: Sarah Dentan
Acting Director, Library Services
Berkeley Public Library
510-981-6195
Congresswoman Barbara Lee nominated Berkeley Public Library
for National Medal for Museum and Library Service
Berkeley CA. September 3, 2015—Each year the Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS) presents select museums and libraries with the nation’s highest honor, the National Medal for Museum and Library Service. Congresswoman Barbara Lee (D) from California’s 13th Congressional District recently nominated the Berkeley Public Library for the 2016 National Medal for Museum and Library Service. This annual award is presented in May by the IMLS to underscore the significant contributions that museums and libraries make to their communities.
The award honors institutions that demonstrate extraordinary approaches to serving their constituents and that exceed expected levels of community outreach. Sarah Dentan, Acting Berkeley Public Library Director was pleased. “Just to be nominated is an honor for the Library and the community it serves, she said. It shows recognition of our programs and services to the citizens of Berkeley.”
All types of nonprofit libraries and library organizations, including academic, school, special libraries, archives, library associations, and library consortia, are eligible to receive this honor. Public or private nonprofit museums of any discipline (including general, art, history, science and technology, children’s, and natural history and anthropology), as well as historic houses and sites, arboretums, nature centers, aquariums, zoos, botanical gardens, and planetariums are eligible as well.
Winners are honored at a ceremony in Washington, DC, host a two-day visit from StoryCorps to record community member stories, and receive positive media attention. Approximately thirty finalists are selected as part of the process and are featured by IMLS during a six-week social media and press campaign. Winning the medal elevates an institution’s profile and can positively impact fundraising, programming, and outreach activities.
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. The IMLS’s 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
For more information about the Berkeley Public Library, please call 510-981-6195 or go to www.berkeleypubliclibrary.org.
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