StoryCorps collecting comments at Waukegan Public Library

On Oct. 4, StoryCorps will arrive at the Waukegan Public Library as part of the library’s National Medal for Museum and Library Service award.

StoryCorps, a national nonprofit organization dedicated to recording, preserving, and sharing the stories of Americans, is partnering with the Institute of Museum and Library Services to document the ongoing impact of the 10 National Medal award-winning museums and libraries for 2013.

For three days, StoryCorps will capture the stories and experiences of Waukegan library patrons, staff, and local partners who have been inspired by the programs, classes, and events that emphasize the library’s Path to Learning and Literacy.

Some of the conversations will come from students who have used library resources to pursue their GED, improve their English language skills, or become United States citizens. Other interviews will highlight the continued donor support of impactful, award-winning library initiatives such as the Early Learning Center exhibit and the Bus to Us program.

Library Director Richard Lee will also be interviewed for StoryCorps about his journey from a nontraditional student to director of a national award-winning library that is continuously shifting to meet the needs of the Waukegan community.

“I feel very fortunate to work in a library that makes a difference in the community. Every day, I see patrons utilizing our resources to help them on their paths to success and I am thankful to StoryCorps and IMLS for the opportunity to record their stories,” Lee said.

Trained StoryCorps staff will help pairs of participants record a conversation about the library. During the three-day visit, facilitators will record 18, 40-minute interviews. At the end of each interview, StoryCorps will give a CD copy of the interview to participants and the library for their archive.

One interview will be chosen and edited into a StoryCorps segment provided to the library and posted on the IMLS website. The complete collection of Waukegan Public Library stories will also be archived by the American Folklife Center at the Library of Congress.

If you have a story you would like to share with StoryCorps and the Waukegan Public Library, contact Rena Morrow, marketing, programming, and exhibits manager, at (847) 623-2041, ext. 231, or rmorrow@waukeganpl.info for available days and times.