[Congressional Record Volume 156, Number 167 (Thursday, December 16, 2010)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E2166]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




               RECOGNIZING THE PATCHOGUE-MEDFORD LIBRARY

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                         HON. TIMOTHY H. BISHOP

                              of new york

                    in the house of representatives

                      Thursday, December 16, 2010

  Mr. BISHOP of New York. Madam Speaker, I rise to honor the Patchogue-
Medford Library for earning the prestigious National Medal for Museum 
and Library Service. This award recognizes the Patchogue-Medford 
Library for its commitment to making a difference in the lives of 
individuals, families, and its community and serves as our Nation's 
highest honor for libraries and museums.
  The Patchogue-Medford Library enjoys a long and colorful history, 
having served the people of Suffolk County for nearly 130 years. 
Originally housed in the back room of Floyd Overton's shoe store on 
East Main Street, the library was formed under the direction of the 
Patchogue Library Association in June, 1883. The library opened its 
doors just two months later in August, 1883, housing 635 volumes that 
included the likes of Mark Twain, Charles Dickens, Jules Verne, and 
Alexis De Tocqueville.
  Following brief stints in a music store and the Lyceum Community 
Center, the library was adopted in 1899 by Sorosis, an all-purpose 
women's organization new to the Patchogue neighborhood, with the 
intention of transforming the private library into a public facility. 
Sorosis greatly enhanced the library, raising enough funds and 
community support for the construction of a permanent home in 1908.
  Aided by the financial backing of philanthropist Andrew Carnegie, the 
library earned acclaim across New York State. Today, the Patchogue-
Medford Library serves as the sole New York State-designated Central 
Library for Suffolk County, providing support and innovative services 
to the people of the First Congressional District of New York.
  Throughout all of the changes, growth, and iterations of the 
Patchogue-Medford Library, the goal of universal literacy has remained 
at the forefront of the library's agenda. Serving a diverse community, 
of which nearly one-quarter of the population is Hispanic, the library 
has taken a non-traditional approach toward literacy in the community.
  The library is committed to bringing quality programming to both 
English-speaking and Spanish-speaking communities, often combining the 
two groups for mutually beneficial learning experiences. Children are 
often exposed to bilingual story times, teens engage with each other in 
the Language Cafe, and Spanish language computer instructions are 
offered to more than 2,100 adult students. The Patchogue-Medford 
Library demonstrates that literacy is important in all its forms, from 
reading books to reading one another.
  Madam Speaker, I am honored to recognize the Patchogue-Medford 
Library for receiving the National Medal for Museum and Library 
Service, and I commend the library for its continued commitment to 
providing vital services to the people of the First Congressional 
District of New York.

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