Gail Borden plans celebration Saturday

What do you do after you win the highest honor for libraries in the nation?

At the Gail Borden Public Library in Elgin, you say thanks to your patrons and keep on working.

"The idea is not to rest on your laurels. It's use your laurels to move forward," said Denise Raleigh, the library's marketing director. "We're not finished."

Elgin's library was one of 10 institutions to win the 2009 National Medal for Museum and Library Service, which is the highest honor a library can receive.

Gail Borden representatives traveled to Washington, D.C., earlier this year and have planned a community celebration from 2 to 5 p.m. Saturday at the library, 270 N. Grove Ave.

Pan Chicago, a steel drum band from Chicago, will perform outside the main entrance, welcoming visitors to the library and officials will make brief remarks at about 2:05 p.m.

At 2:30 p.m., there will be a "Taste of Elgin" with food samples from area restaurants along with magician Ken Mate and juggler Andy Head.

The Jesse White Tumblers perform outside the library at 3 p.m., followed by performances by students in Elgin Area School District U-46 music and dance programs at 3:30 p.m.

Raleigh said the mission is about promoting literacy and the award will help the library build relationships with other institutions to draw people to Elgin and get them to crack open a book.

"Eighty percent of people (in Elgin) have library cards. The goal is to get to 100 percent," Raleigh said.

For more information, visit gailborden.info or call (847) 742-2411.