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Jan. 9--WASHINGTON -- The San Antonio Public Library was among six U.S. libraries and museums honored Monday by first lady Laura Bush for exemplary public service through innovative programs and community partnerships.
The San Antonio library was selected because of its efforts to increase participation by the city's low-income and Spanish-speaking population.
The award comes with a $10,000 prize.
Also honored were facilities in Michigan, Illinois, Nebraska, North Carolina and Indiana.
"The people behind each of today's winning institutions have made their organizations indispensable to the communities they serve," the first lady said during a ceremony in the East Room of the White House.
Representing the San Antonio Public Library at the ceremony were Debra Torres, with the "Born to Read" program, Library Director Ramiro Salazar and Jean Brady, chairwoman of the library's board of trustees.
Also recognized for their service with the San Antonio library were Guillermo Nicolas, 3N Group president and chairman of the San Antonio Public Library Foundation Board of Directors, Jose Garcia De Lara, DV International president, and Kaye Lenox, San Antonio Public Library Foundation president.
Bush thanked community representatives who helped develop educational programs, saying, "Your reach is so much farther than you'll ever, ever know."
Awards for museum and library service began in 1994 and 2000, respectively. The Institute of Museum and Library Services, a federal grant-making agency, selects three libraries and three museums each year to honor for exceptional service.
Other libraries selected for recognition include Charlotte & Mecklenburg County, N.C., and the Frankfort Community Public Library in Frankfort, Ind.
Museums recognized were the Artrain USA in Ann Arbor, Mich., the John G. Shedd Aquarium in Chicago and the Lincoln Children's Zoo in Lincoln, Neb.
A former librarian, Bush said the White House awards program honoring libraries and museums "is always one of my favorite events."
"I love to have this opportunity to recognize libraries and museums around our country," she said.
Ann-Imelda Radice, Institute of Museum and Library Services director, said the award-winning institutions have demonstrated how to connect people to information and ideas.
More than 10,000 people use the San Antonio Public Library and its 22 branches each day. Its "Born to Read" program reaches the 25,000 babies born in San Antonio annually, 50 percent of whom are born to mothers receiving Medicaid.
The program sends to mothers a literacy kit with bicultural books, a library card application, a map of library branches and coupons for a CD of lullabies and books.
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