Marshall Cavendish Excellence in Library Programming Award named
Contact:
Cheryl Malden
Program Officer
312-280-3247
For Immediate Release
April 18, 2006
Marshall Cavendish Excellence in Library
Programming Award named
CHICAGO-The American Library Association (ALA) is pleased to announce that the Gail Borden Public Library District of Elgin, Ill. is the winner of the Marshall Cavendish Excellence in Library Programming Award for its project "GIANTS: African Dinosaurs," created by Project Exploration.
The annual award sponsored by the Marshall Cavendish Corporation consists of $2,000 and a citation. The honor recognizes either a school or public library that demonstrates excellence in library programming by providing programs that have community impact and respond to community needs.
The Gail Borden Public Library District attracted visitors who had never crossed the library's threshold by showcasing six life-size skeleton dinosaurs that lived 135 million years ago with displays of original fossil material and interactive exhibits.
Created by Project Exploration, a not-for-profit organization co-founded by University of Chicago paleontologist Dr. Paul Sereno and Gabrielle Lyon, educator, the library district makes science accessible to the public by reaching out to under-represented populations; inspiring children to learn and achieve through innovative hands-on science experiences; and connecting with students, teachers, and families.
"The project galvanized the community through more than 50 partnerships, 200 volunteers, 65 programs, and 14,000 visiting school children," said Jury Chair Li Chen of Southern Polytechnic State University, Marietta, Ga.
"It captured a positive synergy that has revitalized the role of the library as a leader in the community.
"The 'Giants: African Dinosaurs Exhibit' proposal was the most comprehensive, creative and visual of all the proposals," Chen added.
Other members of the 2006 Marshall Cavendish Jury are: Lesley A. Bell, Toronto Public Library, Canada; Geraldine Guillory Harris, New Orleans (La.) Public Library; Tobi Oberman, Skokie (Ill.) Public Library; and Barbara H. Will, California State Library, Sacramento, Calif.
The Marshall Cavendish Excellence in Library Programming Award will be presented Tuesday, June 27, 2006 during the ALA Annual Conference in New Orleans.
