The following is a text-only press release from the federal Institute of
Museum and Library Services (IMLS). An HTML version of this release,
with many links, can be viewed on the agency's Web site at
http://www.imls.gov/news/2010/072010.shtm

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
July 20, 2010

IMLS Press Contacts
202-653-4632
Jeannine Mjoseth, [log in to unmask]
Mamie Bittner, [log in to unmask] 

HISTORY(tm) Contact
212-210-9083 
Cara Tocci, [log in to unmask]

HISTORY(tm) Announces Winners of the Library Outreach Contest 

Washington, DC-HISTORY(tm) announces the winners of a special contest
for libraries connected with its landmark 12-part series AMERICA THE
STORY OF US. The series, which premiered on April 25th and concluded on
Memorial Day, was accompanied by the largest education outreach effort
in the network's history. Organized with the Institute of Museum and
Library Services and the President's Committee on the Arts and the
Humanities, the Library Outreach Contest encouraged libraries large and
small to create themed exhibits, media projects, and public programming
about the role their community played in the broader national story.
Open to all libraries nationwide, the contest awarded a total of $35,000
in prizes to 13 libraries. The Grand Prize winner in the contest was
awarded $15,000; two First Prize winners were awarded $5,000 each; and
ten Second Prizes winners were awarded $1,000 each.

The Grand Prize Winner was Lower Macungie Library in Macungie,
Pennsylvania, for an exhibit entitled Six Days in April, Forty Years
Ago: The Story of Apollo 13. This exhibit analyzed the dramatic story of
Apollo 13 and other Apollo missions from many angles, highlighting
individual reactions to these human endeavors into space. Libraries
receiving First Prizes were the Saratoga Springs Public Library in
Saratoga Springs, New York, for their exhibit Honoring Saratoga
Veterans, and the Erie Community Library of Erie, Colorado, for a
project entitled Erie: From Working Coal Town to Suburban Boom Town.

The Second Prize winners of the contest included the Haines Borough
Public Library in
Haines, Alaska for their project on the history of the local Tlingit
tribe, the Illinois State Library
for an exhibit entitled Writing Women Back into History, and the Marian
Wright Edelman
Public Library in Marlboro County, South Carolina for an exhibit
entitled Then and Now.

"These winners are a testament to the power of libraries to connect
communities to the American story," said Marsha L. Semmel, acting
director of the Institute of Museum and Library Services. "The rich
diversity of the projects is impressive. And we are particularly
delighted to see so many small libraries answer this call in a big way.
Congratulations to all."

The Library Outreach Contest was a combined effort between HISTORY,
IMLS, and PCAH to engage libraries in a national exploration of the
American past. "AMERICA THE STORY OF US provided a perfect catalyst for
communities all over America to join in ramping up the conversation
about the history of our country," said Dr. Libby O'Connell, chief
historian and senior vice president, corporate outreach for HISTORY.
"Local libraries brought their grassroots focus to highlight the
compelling stories in their collections and in their backyards."

The library contest criteria included the relevance of the exhibit to
American history, the effectiveness of the exhibit or media project
overall, and outreach about the projects to local communities. The
Library Outreach Contest was part of the most ambitious, wide-ranging
educational initiative HISTORY(tm) has ever organized. The outreach
campaign for AMERICA 
THE STORY OF US also included a student video and a lesson plan contest
for teachers to highlight best practices in teaching U.S. history. In
conjunction with the broadcast, HISTORY offered, for the first time, a
DVD of the entire 12-hour series to every single school in America
including all accredited colleges - free of charge. Other events
included a live webcast with the Smithsonian Museum of American History
in Washington, D.C., in which thousands of schools nationwide
participated in a conversation about innovation and invention in
American history. A wealth of
additional curriculum resources related to AMERICA THE STORY OF US is
available online. 

HISTORY(tm) and HISTORY HD(tm) are the leading destinations for
revealing, award-winning original non-fiction series and event-driven
specials that connect history with viewers in an informative, immersive,
and entertaining manner across multiple platforms. Programming covers a
diverse variety of historical genres ranging from military history to
contemporary history, technology to natural history, as well as science,
archaeology, and pop culture. Among the network's program offerings are
hit series such as Ax Men, Battle 360, How the Earth Was Made, Ice Road
Truckers, Pawn Stars and The Universe, as well as acclaimed specials
including 102 Minutes That Changed America, 1968 with Tom Brokaw, King,
Life After People, Nostradamus: 2012, Star Wars: The Legacy Revealed and
WWII in HD. HISTORY has earned four Peabody Awards, seven Primetime
Emmy(r) Awards, 12 News & Documentary Emmy(r) Awards, and received the
prestigious Governor's Award from the Academy of Television Arts &
Sciences for the network's Save Our History(r) campaign dedicated to
historic preservation and history education. Take a Veteran to School
Day is the network's latest initiative connecting America's schools and
communities with veterans from all wars.

The HISTORY web site is the definitive historical online source that
delivers entertaining and informative content featuring broadband video,
interactive timelines, maps, games and more. 

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.
The Institute's mission is to create strong libraries and museums that
connect people to information and ideas. The Institute works at the
national level and in coordination with state and local organizations to
sustain heritage, culture, and knowledge; enhance learning and
innovation; and support professional development. To learn more about
the Institute, please visit www.imls.gov.