2004 National Awards for Museum & Library Service

The National Awards for Museum and Library Service give national recognition to institutions that play an integral and essential part in our learning society. The awards celebrate the efforts of libraries and museums of all sizes to connect with their increasingly diverse communities and to serve as centers of lifelong learning. As the pace of social change continues to quicken, museums and libraries are responding with programs and partnerships that create true value for individuals, for families, and for communities across America. The awards are conferred annually by the Institute of Museum and Library Services and recognize the recipients for their outstanding public service. It is the nation's highest honor for excellence in public service provided by museums and libraries. Each organization also receives $10,000. This year's recipients embody extraordinary public service. The 2004 National Awards for Museum and Library Service were given to: the Chicago Botanic Garden (Chicago, Illinois), Flint Public Library (Flint, Michigan), Mayaguez Children's Library, Inc. (Mayaguez, Puerto Rico), The Regional Academic Health Center Medical Library of the University of Texas Health Science Center (San Antonio, Texas), Western Folklife Center, Inc. (Elko, Nevada), and the Zoological Society of San Diego (San Diego, California). This report presents profiles of each of these award recipients. Previous winners from 1994 to 2003 are also listed.