What do dinosaurs and libraries have in common?
They’ve both been around for many, many years exciting the
imagination and cultivating interests.
GAIL BORDEN PUBLIC LIBRARY DISTRICT
02/08/05 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
The Gail Borden Public Library District Board Accepts Grand
Victoria Foundation’s Challenge Gift of a Magnificent Dinosaur Exhibit.
We are pleased to announce a $175,000 generous challenge gift
from the Grand Victoria Foundation. The Grand Victoria Foundation has agreed to
fund the rental and installation of the spectacular Project Exploration dinosaur
exhibit, Giants: African Dinosaurs, created by Project Exploration at Gail Borden
Public Library in the Fall of 2005. Most recently, this exhibit of magnificent
dinosaur skeletons and
original fossils premiered at Garfield Park Conservatory in Chicago.
Project Exploration was co-founded by renowned University of
Chicago paleontologist Paul Sereno and educator Gabrielle Lyon. Project
Exploration is a non-profit science education organization dedicated to making
science accessible to the public – especially to children.
The Grand Victoria Foundation is confident that this project
will have a significant and positive impact on the community. The Grand Victoria
Foundation challenge gift to Gail Borden Library is designed to encourage broad
community participation and ensure that the Jobaria exhibit is presented
and enjoyed to its fullest.
Gail Borden Library will be reaching out to the community for
expertise, volunteers and additional funding. Added funding is a necessity as no
library tax dollars will be used. Expenses such as extra maintenance, security
and infrastructure that will be required to support this exhibit will
necessitate fundraising efforts.
Library director Carole Medal said, “We are grateful to the
Grand Victoria Foundation for making this opportunity available to us. Being
able to showcase an exhibit of this caliber is thrilling. It is a chance for us
to share our new library home in a unique and wonderful fashion with the
taxpayers who made it possible. It provides our community with a
first-of-its-kind educational and artistic experience right in their own
library.”
Joan Berna, library board president, added, “The educational
value of this exhibit is extremely exciting. We also want people in the
community to know that the staff will be working vigilantly to ensure that core
library services will not be interrupted.”
“Project Exploration is thrilled to be partnering with the Gail
Borden Library to bring the excitement of these discoveries to life. Having the
exhibit at a library ensures that the story of Africa’s dinosaurs isn’t just a
great teaching tool, it’s the start of a great adventure for young and old
alike,” said Dr. Sereno.
Nancy Fishman, Grand Victoria Foundation executive director,
said, “This is a one-of-a-kind opportunity for Elgin. Gail Borden Library, with
its soaring atrium and terrific educational resources, is the perfect place to
showcase Project Exploration's dramatic exhibit. We hope that others in the
community join us in supporting this important effort to bring GIANTS to Elgin."
Exhibit highlights:
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Six life-sized African dinosaur skeletons
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Skeletal and flesh reconstructions of an African pterosaur
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Nearly 50 associated fossils, casts, and models
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“Touch Gallery” of skulls and fossils
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A 33-foot-high, 60-foot-long rearing plant eater, Jobaria
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Suchomimus, a T-rex-sized fish-eater
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Carcharodontosarus skull and flesh model
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Self-guide tour materials
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Lecture by Dr. Paul Sereno
The anticipated time period for this exhibit is September 2005
through December 2005.
We anticipate many benefits to emanate from this project as it…
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Provides an extraordinary opportunity for education with actual
artifacts and replicas supported by library collections and programming.
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Promotes literacy by creating an interest in reading and
learning more about dinosaurs and the world in which they lived.
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Brings together people of all ages and cultures to experience
the magnificent creatures that have fascinated and aroused curiosity for
generations.
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Creates excitement in the community and highlights the
revitalization of downtown Elgin.
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Makes a positive impact on the Elgin economy with the number of
people who visit the city to view the exhibit.
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Enables residents in the Elgin and Fox Valley area to enjoy this
unique experience right in their own backyard!
We are happy to announce that several people and organizations
have already indicated that they will provide in-kind services or funding. At
this time, we’d like to recognize our very earliest supporters – Gail Borden
Public Library Foundation, Lamp Inc., Seigle’s, Elgin Anniversary Committee and
Demi & Cooper Advertising.
About Gail Borden Public Library District:
The Elgin area's public library is over 125 years old with a
long history of providing materials and services to community members. The first
library building was donated by the family of Gail Borden, the inventor of
condensed milk. In 2003, the library moved into its new 140,000-square-foot Gail
Borden Public Library building at 270 North Grove Avenue along the Fox River.
Not many, if any, public libraries have ever hosted an exhibit of this nature,
but the Gail Borden Library has a history of being innovative. After careful
consideration, they added a Early Learning Center to promote interactive play
between adults and children. In 1974, the Gail Borden Public Library was the
first public library in Illinois to adopt an automated check out system. Gail
Borden Library’s mission is to serve the district residents in the pursuit of
educational, informational, recreational and professional needs by providing a
wide range of materials and services.
About the Grand Victoria Foundation
Established in 1996, Grand Victoria Foundation is the brainchild
of Hyatt Development Corporation and Mandalay Resort Group, the partnership that
owns and operates Grand Victoria Casino in Elgin, Illinois. This is the only
casino in the country that devotes 20 percent of its annual net operating income
to help fund initiatives that turn local communities into vibrant civic hubs.
Grand Victoria Foundation has been charged with carrying out this commitment,
continually seeking to support strategic approaches that expand the potential of
communities in Illinois. The mission of Grand Victoria Foundation is to assist
communities in their efforts to pursue systemic solutions to problems in
specific areas of education, economic development and the environment.
About Project Exploration
Project Exploration was founded in 1999 by University of Chicago
paleontologist Dr. Paul Sereno and educator Gabrielle Lyon, to make science
accessible to the public–with a special focus on city kids and girls. Through
youth development programs, services to schools and teachers, exhibits, and
online initiatives, Project Exploration works to:
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Reduce the distance between science and the public–especially
populations historically under-represented in professional science
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Inspire city kids and girls to learn and achieve through
innovative hands-on experiences with science
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Connect students, teachers, and families with working scientists
Project Exploration is online at
http://www.projectexploration.org.
For further information, please contact:
Carole Medal, Director, Gail Borden Public Library
847.429.4699
cmedal@nsls.info
www.gailborden.info
Karen Maki, Asst. Director, Gail Borden Public Library
847.429.5976
maki@nsls.info
www.gailborden.info
Joan Berna, President, Gail Borden Public Library Board
847.888.1693
Denise Raleigh, Public Information Officer, Gail Borden Public
Library
847.429.5981
draleigh@nsls.info
www.gailborden.info
Nancy Fishman, Executive Director, Grand Victoria Foundation
312.609.0200
nancyf@grandvictoriafdn.org
www.grandvictoriafdn.org
Gabrielle Lyon, Executive Director, Project Exploration
773.834.7614
glyon@projectexploration.org
www.projectexploration.org
