Congratulations are in order for the Contra Costa Library as last week Supervisor Mary Piepho was in Washington, DC to receive an award from the Institute of Museum and Library Services. The National Medal is the nation’s highest honor conferred on museums and libraries for service to the community and celebrates institutions that make a difference for individuals, families, and communities.
“I offer my highest congratulations to Contra Costa Library on earning the National Medal for Museum and Library Service,” said Congressman John Garamendi (D-Fairfield, CA). “Their innovative outreach efforts are introducing more members of our community to a world of knowledge and self-discovery. Through mobile applications, the Library is using Northern California’s famed technological ingenuity to engage Contra Costa residents on their daily commute. Through their museum and adult literacy programs, the Library is opening up manifold cultural, social, and economic opportunities for disadvantaged members of our community.”
Video of the ceremony (22:55) :
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J_JQt1vbQ_g&feature=player_embedded
Below is a copy of the Nov. 5 Press Release from the Institute of Museum and Library Services.
November 5, 2012
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
MEDIA CONTACT:
Sara Neumann
(202) 414-0788
[email protected]
Institute of Museum and Library Services Announces Recipients of 2012 National Medal for Museum and Library Service
Nation’s Highest Honor Recognizes Exceptional Contributions of Museums and Libraries
Washington, DC— (November 5, 2012) – The Institute of Museum and Library Services today announced the recipients of the National Medal for Museum and Library Service. The National Medal is the nation’s highest honor conferred on museums and libraries for service to the community and celebrates institutions that make a difference for individuals, families, and communities.
This year’s honorees exemplify the nation’s great diversity of libraries and museums and include a school library, county library systems, individual libraries, children’s museums, an art museum, science centers, a park conservancy, and more, hailing from 10 different states. The 2012 winners of the National Medal for Museum and Library Service are:
- Bootheel Youth Museum, Malden, Mo.
- Contra Costa County Library, Pleasant Hill, Calif.
- Cumberland County Public Library, Fayetteville, N.C.
- Garfield Park Conservatory, Chicago, Ill.
- Long Island Children’s Museum, Garden City, N.Y.
- Museum of Contemporary Art, North Miami, Fla.
- Naturita Community Library, Naturita, Colo.
- Pacific Science Center, Seattle, Wash.
- Park View High School Library Media Center, Sterling, Va.
- Shaler North Hills Library, Glenshaw, Pa.
“Museums and libraries serve as community anchors and this year’s winners – from urban North Miami to Naturita, Colorado, home to just 542 people – showcase the positive difference these institutions make for everyone. Innovative programs are teaching residents how to read late in life, inspiring children to dream, using technology to offer e-books on the go, and bridging cultural differences,” said Susan Hildreth, director, Institute of Museum and Library Services. “This year’s National Medal for Museum and Library Service recipients demonstrate the many ways libraries and museums build strong communities and provide opportunities for individual success.”
Medal winners are selected from nationwide nominations of institutions that demonstrate innovative approaches to public service, exceeding the expected levels of community outreach. The National Medal will be presented during a celebration in Washington, D.C. on November 14.
To learn more about the 2012 National Medal winners, please visit www.imls.gov/medals.
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 grantmaking, 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 or follow us on Twitter at @US_IMLS.
The following is from the profile page on the national site for Contra Costa County Library.
Web Site: http://ccclib.org
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| Library customer learning about Discover & Go with his phone. |
California’s Contra Costa County Library is reshaping how residents access library services on the go. Snap & Go, a smart phone application using a Quick Response (QR) code, enables the Library’s card carrying commuters to carry the library with them. People can access e-books, the catalog and other features where and when they want them, not just when libraries are open. A new program, Discover & Go, offers library users and underserved populations 24/7 access to downloadable free passes to a wide range of cultural institutions, such as museums and galleries, throughout the bay area.
“I offer my highest congratulations to Contra Costa Library on earning the National Medal for Museum and Library Service,” said Congressman John Garamendi (D-Fairfield, CA). “Their innovative outreach efforts are introducing more members of our community to a world of knowledge and self-discovery. Through mobile applications, the Library is using Northern California’s famed technological ingenuity to engage Contra Costa residents on their daily commute. Through their museum and adult literacy programs, the Library is opening up manifold cultural, social, and economic opportunities for disadvantaged members of our community.”
Community Member: Gladys Leeks
Contra Costa County resident Gladys Leeks shows us that it’s never too late to make a change. In her sixties, Gladys joined Weight Watchers and successfully lost 104 pounds. With newfound confidence, she enrolled in Contra Costa County Library’s adult literacy program, Project Second Chance, and at age 67, learned to read. “All facets of my life have been enhanced by the growth of my reading skills. I no longer have to look at pictures to understand movies or menus; I can now read to my grandchildren,” she said. Gladys landed her dream job with Weight Watchers because of her new literacy skills and successfully advanced to earn the position of Leader.
By Michael Burkholder
7 comments
Congratulations to our library system and to all the staff who made it possible.
[…] Contra Costa County Library Wins National Medal. […]
I rarely use a library but this is very neat.
This should be a perfect example of why Oakley needs its library downtown.
Why is supervisor piepho getting credit, pleasant hill is not in her district. someone else should have went.
Easy, she is chair of the Board and that is why. Had someone else been chair, they would have made the trip for one day and turn right around and come back.
Brad, I’m reading that this was a recognition for the entire County library system. Not just the Pleasant Hill branch. Kudos for our libraries all over the county and the dedicated people that operate them. .
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