[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 159 (2013), Part 5]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page 6810]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




  RECOGNIZING WAUKEGAN PUBLIC LIBRARY FOR RECEIVING THE INSTITUTE OF 
            MUSEUM AND LIBRARY SERVICES' 2013 NATIONAL MEDAL

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                       HON. BRADLEY S. SCHNEIDER

                              of illinois

                    in the house of representatives

                         Tuesday, May 14, 2013

  Mr. SCHNEIDER. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize the Waukegan 
Public Library and its staff for receiving the 2013 Institute of Museum 
and Library Services' National Medal. Waukegan Public Library is one of 
only 10 institutions nationwide that received this distinguished honor.
   I attended the award ceremony last week at the White House, where 
First Lady Michelle Obama presented Waukegan Library with the medal. 
She praised the library for its innovation, its passion and its 
commitment to serving the community.
   That commitment is exactly what Richard Lee, the library's Executive 
Director, wisely pointed out when he explained that success is no 
longer defined by ``the number of books checked out,'' but rather it is 
measured by service to the community.
   By this standard, the Waukegan Library shines. Their Conversational 
ESL Program helps create new opportunities for the 55 percent of 
Waukegan residents whose primary language is something other than 
English. Their programs do not merely teach skills, but they empower 
residents with the skills to achieve their own success.
   We speak often of our communities and what makes them strong. 
Institutions like Waukegan Public Library make our communities strong. 
The library is a pillar of the Waukegan community, and it has enriched 
the Tenth District.
   As doors of opportunity open to more and more residents, we will all 
prosper, and I congratulate Waukegan Library for helping pave the paths 
to that future.

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