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Susan Hildreth: Good afternoon, everyone.

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Thank you for joining us for the 2014 National
Medal for Museum and Library Service award

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ceremony.

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We are here to recognize the extraordinary
work of 10 outstanding museums and libraries

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from across the nation and to celebrate the
valuable role these institutions, and all

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museums and libraries, play in our communities.

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You will hear about how the medal winners
demonstrate extraordinary and innovative public

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service.

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We know that these libraries and museums change
lives.

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And, we asked each institution to select a
community member to travel with them to Washington

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to receive the award.

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You will hear how their lives have been changed.

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Today, these ten great American places join
132 other National Medal winners as we celebrate

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the 20th anniversary of the award, the nation's
highest honor for libraries and museums.

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The 10 institutions we recognize today show
us what is possible.

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They are places that are using their physical
and digital spaces, their collections and

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their dedicated staffs to make a real difference
in community life.

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We are proud to have members of the National
Museum and Library Services Board with us

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today: Our board members bring passion and
leadership to the Institute of Museum and

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Library Services' mission and help strengthen
the educational and cultural life of our country.

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They also lend their expertise to the National
Medal selection process by their careful review

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of nominations and sharing insightful recommendations.

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Thank you for your dedication and expertise.

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We all very much appreciate your support.

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(Applause.)

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We are also pleased to have Diane Frankel
here with us today.

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Diane was the first Director of the Institute
of Museum and Library Services and her idea

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for a national award has blossomed into what
you see today.

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So thank you Diane.

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Wise advisors are so important to the success
of any organization.

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Our winning institutions have asked board
members and public officials to join them

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here today, and I'd like to recognize each
of you.

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Would the board members of each institution
please stand?

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Thank you.

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And of course, our communities are made stronger
by public officials who work hard on behalf

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of their constituents every day.

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We are delighted to have several members of
Congress with us today.

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I would like to recognize United States Representative
Andre Carson of Indiana's 7th Congressional

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District, United States Representative Hakeem
Jeffries of New York's 8th Congressional District,

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and United States Representative Danny K.
Davis of Illinois' 7th Congressional District.

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We are also delighted to have the Mayor of
Chicago, Rahm Emanuel with us today.

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I'd like to also recognize our great partner,
Storycorps.

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Storycorps is a national nonprofit dedicated
to recording, preserving, and sharing the

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stories of America.

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They will visit each winning institution to
document stories from the community.

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Since 2010, they have conducted 840 National
Medal interviews in communities across the

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country.

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All of the interviews are preserved by the
Library of Congress's Center for American

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Folklife.

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And, we are most grateful to our partner HISTORY.

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HISTORY has been extremely supportive of the
National Medal.

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Since 2007 they have produced videos that
showcase our National Medal recipients and

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their contributions to their community.

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This year's winners represent the best of
our nation's libraries and museums.

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There are countless stories across the country
of Americans, young and old, learning, enjoying,

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and opening doors to new and deeply powerful
experiences at their local museum or library.

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And now it is my distinct pleasure and deep
honor to introduce Mrs. Michelle Obama, the

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First Lady of the United States.

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Mrs. Obama: Thank you.

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(Applause.)

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Good afternoon, everyone.

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It's a -- afternoon or morning?

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Good morning.

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(Laughter.)

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Well, hello, everyone, and welcome to a little
museum that we like to call the White House.

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(Laughter.)

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I want to welcome all of you -- our election
officials, all the board members, the community

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members.

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We are grateful to have you here.

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And, Susan, thank you very much for that tremendous
introduction, as well as your outstanding

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leadership.

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We are so grateful.

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And of course, I want to recognize our guests
of honor, this year's winners of the National

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Medal for Museums and Library Services.

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You all are redefining what it means to lead
a museum or a library in the 21st century.

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All across the country --- from Brooklyn,
New York, to Independence, Missouri, to Gallup,

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New Mexico --- you all are putting our -- your
programs and exhibitions up to help us expand

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our horizons and connect us with the rest
of the world.

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You offer dynamic classrooms for folks of
all ages, from toddlers to grandparents.

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You serve as a gateway to technology for so
many in your communities.

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And as any mom with young kids will tell you,
on a rainy weekend afternoon, you are a welcome

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haven -- (laughter) -- where kids can learn
and explore.

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And really, the work to engage and empower
our young people is some of the most important

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work that all of you do.

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You're teaching kids how to get their hands
dirty in community gardens -- my favorite.

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You're showing them how to dance and choreograph
moves of their own -- another one of my favorites.

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You're opening up your planetarium doors and
taking these young people on trips to outer

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space.

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And when schools get out in the summers, you
all are stepping up with all sorts of camps

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and learning opportunities.

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So instead of spending months sitting in front
of the television, our young people are stretching

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their minds, they're making new friends, and
they're having a great time as they do it.

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For example, at the Oklahoma Museum of Natural
History, you're leading summer expeditions

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where kids excavate dinosaur bones alongside
professional paleontologists.

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At the Mystic Aquarium in Connecticut, you're
offering summer internships to teach young

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people about marine biology, and you're doing
it by helping them feed and train beluga wales

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-- very impressive.

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And at the North Carolina Museum of Natural
Sciences, you're offering a weeklong "Summer

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Ed-Venture" program with hikes and overnight
camping to help kids discover the science

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that surround us in our natural environment.

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So the work that you do in the summers, and
throughout the year, quite frankly, is filling

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a crucial role for our country as we strive
to give our young people a world-class education.

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And as First Lady, as many of you know, that's
one of the issues that I am very passionate

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about.

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I am passionate about giving our kids the
skills and support they need to reach their

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fullest potential.

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And that's why, just last week, I announced
my Reach Higher initiative, where we're hoping

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to inspire young people to continue their
education beyond high school.

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And whether that's at a professional training
program or a community college, or a four-year

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college or university, we all know that in
order for today's young people to be able

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to compete in a global economy, a high school
diploma just is not enough.

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So we're helping students understand the path
they need to take to achieve their education

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by focusing on things like financial aid,
college visits, supporting our high school

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counselors, and providing young people with
summer learning opportunities to give them

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a chance to compete and understand what they
want to get out of their education.

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So we're helping students in that way because
we're depending on young people to set big

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goals for themselves.

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That's one of my messages, for them to reach
higher and to work harder, to work like crazy

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to get where they want to be.

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But we all know that these kids can't do it
alone.

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That's why we need all of us -- all of us
-- helping these kids step up in every way.

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So we're going to be getting everybody involved
in this effort -- from business owners and

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government leaders, to congregations and community
groups, and of course, libraries and museums

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like the ones you all represent.

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In fact, all of you are providing perfect
examples of the kind of opportunities that

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we need to make sure that all our young people
have.

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So I want to applaud you for those efforts.

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But I also want to challenge you.

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I want to challenge you to reach even higher
for those kids in your communities who you

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might not see so often -- the kids who only
make it to your buildings on a class field

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trip, the kids who don't know how to get a
library card, the kids whose neighborhoods

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don't offer a lot of positive learning environments.

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And these kids exist in every single one of
our communities.

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And I know many of you are already touching
these kids, but it is up to us to reach higher

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for them and to give them the opportunities
they need to fulfill their boundless potential.

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And, again, all of you are already well on
your way, which is why we're so thrilled and

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honored to have you here.

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This is a special privilege for me, to be
here with all of you.

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And I am particularly excited that you have
brought community members along with you to

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share in this day.

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So once again, congratulations on this honor.

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And now, I want to turn it over to Gladstone
Payton from the Institute for Museum and Library

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Services to present the medals.

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Thank you, all, and welcome.

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Gladstone Payton: Accepting the award for
the Brooklyn Botanic Garden, Brooklyn, New

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York, are
• Executive Director Scott Medbury and

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• Community Member Chidi Duke

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At the age of 11, Chidi Duke was introduced
to Brooklyn Botanic Garden through Project

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Green Reach, a science enrichment program
led by the garden in his Brooklyn elementary

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school.

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His teacher recommended him for the Children's
Garden program, where Chidi became captivated

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with the plant world.

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His role in the Children's Garden grew progressively.

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Eventually he became a leader and mentor to
younger participants.

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He enrolled in the Brooklyn Academy of Science
and Environment, the public high school co-founded

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by Brooklyn Botanic Garden and Prospect Park
Alliance with the Department of Education.

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Chidi is now a student at The City University
of New York's John Jay College of Criminal

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Justice.

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He continues to be a part of Brooklyn Botanic
Garden as an instructor for teens.

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Accepting the award for the Chicago Public
Library, Chicago, Illinois are:

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• Brian Bannon, Commissioner of the Chicago
Public Library and

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• Community member Chris Force
Chris Force started his business at the Chicago

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Public Library.

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He is founder and editor-in-chief of commercial
publisher Alarm Press.

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When Chris decided he wanted to start a magazine
business, he turned to the library.

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Using library resources, he learned about
management, marketing, and financing.

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The library was his business incubator, where
he booked meeting rooms and found free databases

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to source leads.

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The librarians gave him guidance and support,
and introduced him to publications he never

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knew existed.

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Chris now employs about 120 individuals.

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He makes them all get library cards and receive
orientation training at Chicago Public Library.

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Chris says, "Sometimes as a small business
owner all you need is anyone, even your local

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librarian, to give you some encouragement.

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Chicago is a great city for that, and the
Chicago Public Library is great resource for

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any small business owner."

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Accepting the award for The Children's Museum
of Indianapolis, Indianapolis, Indiana are:

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• President and CEO, Jeffrey H. Patchen
and

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• Community member Spencer Hahn together
with his mother Erica Hahn

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Eight-year old Spencer Hahn suffered a stroke
in-utero that damaged half of his brain, and

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further complications led to lifelong challenges.

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Doctors thought he would never walk or talk.

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Seeking to stimulate her son's mind with new
experiences, Spencer's mother, Erica Hahn,

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brought him to The Children's Museum of Indianapolis.

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There, something extraordinary began to happen—Spencer
responded.

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The museum provided an environment where Spencer
felt happy and safe.

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At the Playscape exhibit, which was created
to encourage the youngest kids to reach developmental

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milestones, Spencer took his first steps.

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After that, Spencer experienced other "firsts"
at the museum: his first successful attempt

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at climbing and his first word.

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Spencer loves the museum's theater and mascot,
Rex, and continues his hands-on learning every

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time he visits his favorite museum.

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Accepting the award for the Las Vegas-Clark
County Library District, Las Vegas, Nevada

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are
• Executive Director Jeanne Goodrich and

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• Community member Avree Walker

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Community member Avree Walker is a shining
example of how libraries change lives.

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Avree "grew up" at the West Las Vegas Library
branch of the Las Vegas-Clark County Library

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District, using the collection and electronic
resources for schoolwork and for research

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projects and papers.

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The library's introduced Avree to a world
outside his neighborhood, and inspired him

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to pursue his passion for dance.

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Today, Avree is pursuing a Bachelor's degree
in dance from the University of Nevada, Las

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Vegas, and is a dancer with Las Vegas Contemporary
Dance Theatre.

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He gives back to his community and library
by working with youth at the library as both

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a choreographer and a producer.

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Accepting the Award for the Mid-Continent
Public Library, Independence, Missouri, are

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• Library Director and CEO Steven V. Potter
and

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• Community Member Alicia Moore
In deciding where she and her family would

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move, Alicia Moore took a community's library
into serious consideration.

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As a homeschooling mom, she knew that she
would depend on the library for materials

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to support her children's learning.

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Mid-Continent Public Library's Homeschoolers
at the Library program in Liberty, Missouri,

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made the grade.

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The library partners with homeschooling families
to get them the materials, programs, research

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databases, and assistance they need at any
of their 35 locations.

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Each week, Alicia's third and fifth graders
spend hours at local branches, in the study

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rooms, checking out books, and attending all
kinds of programs, from bookclubs to magic

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shows.

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She says, "As parents, we want to teach our
children the value of reading books for both

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recreation and education.

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Thankfully, we have found a community-oriented
library where our children feel comfortable."

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Accepting the Award for the Mystic Aquarium,
Mystic, Connecticut, are:

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• President and CEO Dr. Stephen M. Coan
and

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• Community Member Justin Richard
Justin Richard never expected a quick aquarium

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visit between college tours in Connecticut
to turn into an avenue for pursuing his passion.

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During his first visit to Mystic Aquarium,
he was mesmerized by the beluga whale.

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He volunteered at the aquarium and became
involved in a comprehensive, hands-on summer

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internship.

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He became a marine mammal trainer, working
for the aquarium for eight years training

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animals and educating students and the general
public about them.

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Justin enrolled at the University of Rhode
Island to study science and to become more

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involved with marine mammals.

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He is pursuing a Ph.D. there in integrative
and evolutionary biology through a National

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Science Foundation fellowship.

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Justin's relationship with Mystic Aquarium
continues with his research into non-invasive

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ways to monitor the health of wild beluga
populations.

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Accepting the Award for North Carolina Museum
of Natural Sciences, Raleigh, North Carolina,

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are:
• Museum Director Dr. Emlyn Kostner and

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• Community Member Molly Paul
At five, Molly Paul decided she was going

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to be a marine biologist and aquarium director.

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That was when Molly's parents took her to
the North Carolina Museum of Natural Science

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and Molly fell in love.

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Since then she has spent countless hours in
the exhibits and sitting in front of the fish

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tanks.

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She attended a museum camp and found mentors
in the museum staff.

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She was even inspired to begin her own turtle
adoption organization for unwanted pet turtles.

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Molly's passion and enthusiasm for marine
life grew when she was accepted into the museum's

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Junior Curator Program, working with the Fish
and Invertebrates Department.

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And now, as a high school sophomore she spends
more than three days a week at the museum.

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Molly says, "The museum is my second home,
it's where I'm the happiest.

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The museum has helped shape me into a lifelong
learner, active community member, and leader."

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Accepting the Award for Octavia Fellin [Pronunciation]
Public Library, Gallup, New Mexico, are:

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• Director Mary Ellen Pellington and
• Community Member Maria Elena Reyes

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Maria Elena Reyes grew up on the Navajo Nation
in Pinedale, New Mexico.

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The reservation elementary school had limited
resources, so at an early age, she became

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acquainted with the Octavia Fellin Public
Library.

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She remembers her mother taking the long drive
to Gallup, so that she could attend library

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programs, use its resources for school projects,
or escape into a good book.

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Now a mother herself, Maria brings her children,
two young boys, aged three and five, to the

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library to inspire their love of reading.

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Maria views the Octavia Fellin Public Library
as an important community resource, providing

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access to books, educational and child-centric
programming, and collections in the Navajo

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language.

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Accepting the Award for Sam Noble Oklahoma
Museum of Natural History, Norman, Oklahoma,

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are:
• Director Dr. Michael A. Mares and

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• Community member Ernesto Vargas
If there was anything that Ernesto Vargas

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knew at age sixteen, it was that he was passionate
about science.

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In pursuing his interest, Ernesto signed up
for the ExplorOlogy, a program at the Sam

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Noble Oklahoma Museum of Natural History.

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Through the program's Paleo Expedition, Ernesto
went on summer field expeditions with real

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scientists.

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He was surrounded by people who shared his
desire to explore, and Ernesto began volunteering

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as a museum docent.

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The following year, he joined the Paleo Expedition
trip as a peer mentor.

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His hard work and service at the museum contributed
to his selection as a Gates Millennium Scholar

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and he now studies geology and paleontology
at the University of Chicago.

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He says, "As a future scientist, I look forward
to one day sharing my knowledge and experience

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with others, just like the scientists at the
Sam Noble Museum's ExplorOlogy program did

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for me."

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Accepting the Award for Yiddish Book Center,
Amherst, Massachusetts, are:

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• Founder and President, Aaron Lansky and
• Community Member Dr. Peter Manseau

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As a French-Irish Catholic attending college
in Amherst, Massachusetts, Peter Manseau knew

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little about Jewish culture and Yiddish works
before his summer internship at the Yiddish

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Book Center in 1996.

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During his time in the program, Peter found
himself immersed in the literature and fascinated

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by religious culture.

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00:23:37.450 --> 00:23:41.750
He learned about Jewish history and culture
and the Yiddish language.

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Drawing from his experience at the Yiddish
Book Center, Peter was inspired to write Songs

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for the Butcher's Daughter, an award-winning
novel about Yiddish literature and preservation.

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Peter received his doctorate from Georgetown
University in religion and is currently a

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fellow in American religious history at the
Smithsonian's National Museum of American

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History.

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Mrs. Obama: Well, what an excellent array
of programs.

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We are so proud of all of you.

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We're just hopeful that this is the boost
that you need to keep doing the great work

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that you're doing.

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Having it here at the White House, having
the media here, remembering that you all are

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opening so many doors for people in communities
across this country.

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It is an honor and a privilege.

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Everyone, let's give these awardees another
round of applause.

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(Applause.)

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And that concludes our program, but we're
going to open up those doors.

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We have a wonderful reception for everyone
here.

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00:25:05.130 --> 00:25:08.049
I promised someone over there some cookies.

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00:25:08.049 --> 00:25:09.159
(Laughter.)

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00:25:09.159 --> 00:25:13.910
And he's been suffering through all of this
-- (laughter) -- just waiting for the cookies.

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00:25:13.910 --> 00:25:16.190
So I don't think I will delay any longer.

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00:25:16.190 --> 00:25:19.350
Once again, it's an honor to have you all
here.

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Congratulations, and we look forward to seeing
you again next year.

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So enjoy.

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(Applause.)