Institute of Museum and Library Services Announces 2014 National Medal Finalists

WASHINGTON - March 3, 2014 - PRLog -- The Institute of Museum and Library Services today announced 30 finalists for the National Medal for Museum and Library Service. The National Medal, the nation's highest honor conferred on museums and libraries for service to the community, is celebrating its 20^th year of saluting institutions that make a difference for individuals, families, and communities.

"Museums and libraries serve as civic engagement centers, providing invaluable educational, social, and skill-based resources to their communities," said Susan Hildreth, director of the Institute of Museum and Library Services. "The 2014 National Medal finalists have gone above and beyond to create an environment that allows individuals to learn, play, connect, and remain curious

IMLS is encouraging those who have visited finalist libraries and museums to share their story on the IMLS Facebook page, www.facebook.com/USIMLS. Visit the IMLS Facebook page to learn more about how these institutions make an impact. Ten National Medal winners will be announced this spring and will participate in the National Medal ceremony in Washington, D.C.

The 2014 finalists of the National Medal for Museum and Library Service are:

Libraries

·          Pima County Public Library (Tucson, Ariz.)

·          Los Angeles Public Library (Los Angeles, Calif.)

·          Sacramento Public Library (Sacramento, Calif.)

·          Hartford Public Library (Hartford, Conn.)

·          Otis Library (Norwich, Conn.)

·          Athens-Clarke County Library (Athens, Ga.)

·          Chicago Public Library (Chicago, Ill.)

·          Booth Library (Eastern Illinois University) (Charleston, Ill.)

·          Cecil County Public Library (Elkton, Md.)

·          Yiddish Book Center (Amherst, Mass.)

·          Mid-Continent Public Library (Independence, Mo.)

·          Las Vegas-Clark County Library District (Las Vegas, Nev.)

·          Octavia Fellin Public Library (Gallup, N.M.)

·          Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture, New York Public Library (New York, N.Y.)

·          Bertha Voyer Memorial Library (Honey Grove, Texas)

Museums

·          The Children's Museum at La Habra (La Habra, Calif.)

·          Mattatuck Museum (Waterbury, Conn.)

·          Mystic Aquarium (Mystic, Conn.)

·          National Veterans Art Museum (Chicago, Ill.)

·          Peggy Notebaert Nature Museum (Chicago, Ill.)

·          The Children's Museum of Indianapolis (Indianapolis, Ind.)

·          Brooklyn Botanic Garden (Brooklyn, N.Y.)

·          North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences (Raleigh, N.C.)

·          Sam Noble Oklahoma Museum of Natural History (Norman, Okla.)

·          Carnegie Science Center (Pittsburgh, Pa.)

·          Phipps Conservatory and Botanical Gardens (Pittsburgh, Pa.)

·          Amazement Square (Lynchburg, Va.)

·          Children's Museum of Tacoma (Tacoma, Wash.)

·          Seattle Art Museum (Seattle, Wash.)

·          Wing Luke Museum of the Asian Pacific American Experience (Seattle, Wash.)

To Share Your Story, please visit www.facebook.com/USIMLS. To learn more about the 2014 National Medal finalists, visit www.imls.gov/medals.

Celebrating 20 Years

This year, IMLS celebrates the 20th anniversary of the National Medal for Museum and Library Service. For the past two decades, the National Medal has honored outstanding institutions that make significant and exceptional contributions to their communities. Including 2013 winners, 132 institutions have received this honor, and ten additional institutions will be awarded in 2014.

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 17,500 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 http://www.imls.gov and follow us on Facebook (http://www.facebook.com/USIMLS) and Twitter (http://www.twitter.com/us_imls).