[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 153 (2007), Part 1]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page 1559]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




            TRIBUTE TO JOHNSON COUNTY LIBRARIAN MONA CARMACK

                                 ______
                                 

                           HON. DENNIS MOORE

                               of kansas

                    in the house of representatives

                      Wednesday, January 17, 2007

  Mr. MOORE of Kansas. Madam Speaker, I rise today to salute Johnson 
County Librarian Mona Carmack, who is retiring later this month, and 
will be honored on January 25, at the Overland Park Sheraton Hotel. 
Because of scheduled votes in Congress that evening, I will be unable 
to attend, but want to recognize her today. It is only fitting that the 
Library of Congress will contain a tribute to an outstanding librarian 
of our era.
  Johnson County is the fastest growing county in Kansas. During her 18 
years of exemplary professional service to our citizens, Mona oversaw 
the expansion of the library system with six new branches, and 
significant improvements at three others. The library system's holdings 
increased from nearly 565,000 to 1.5 million during her tenure, and the 
operating budget increased from $5 million to $21.6 million.
  Most amazing of all, during that time, the circulation per capita 
increased from 6.1 to 16.4, and the percentage of the county's 
population registered as library users increased from 72 percent to 84 
percent. Our county libraries are beautiful, airy, modern facilities, 
packed with excellent resources, and significantly contribute to the 
outstanding quality of life that Johnson Countians enjoy.
  Mona and her staff have received numerous national library awards, 
including being named a Finalist in the Innovations in American 
Government competition in 1998, and culminating in a National Award 
from the Institute of Museum and Library Services in 2005. Mona was 
honored by her peers with 2002 awards from the Kansas Library 
Association and the Mountain Plains Library Association.
  Like any good librarian, the issue dearest to Mona's heart is 
literacy. Literacy is emphasized in children's programming, and the 
Library, in cooperation with the Johnson County Community College, 
operates an adult literacy program. Mona also serves on metropolitan 
literacy organizations, such as the Literacy Kansas City Board and the 
Metropolitan Alliance for Adult Learning.
  After I took office in 1999, Mona was kind enough to give me a tour 
and briefing of the library. My office has often used the outstanding 
facilities of the Johnson County libraries to host community office 
hours with my constituents.
  Madam Speaker, we all wish Mona the very best for the next chapter of 
her life, and hope that she will continue to contribute her leadership 
and knowledge to our area.

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