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FREE LIBRARY OF PHILADELPHIA RECEIVES PRESTIGIOUS EDDY AWARD
LIBRARY HONORED WITH 2010 “STAR COMMUNITY COMMITMENT TO EDUCATION” AWARD FROM THE PHILADELPHIA EDUCATION FUND
PHILADELPHIA, November 3, 2010—The Free Library of Philadelphia is proud to announce that it is the recipient of the Philadelphia Education Fund’s 2010 “Star Community Commitment to Education” EDDY Award. The Library will receive the award at the 2010 EDDY Awards Ceremony on Tuesday, November 16, 2010 at the Edmund D. Bossone Research Enterprise Center at Drexel University, 31st and Market Streets in Philadelphia.
The Free Library of Philadelphia is being honored for its commitment to provide all segments of Philadelphia's diverse population with comprehensive collections; assuring ease of access to these materials; and providing programs to stimulate the awareness and use of these resources. Accepting on behalf of the Free Library will be Siobhan A. Reardon, President and Director of the Free Library, and Robert C. Heim, Chairman of the Free Library of Philadelphia Board of Trustees.
“We are honored to be receiving the ‘Star Community Commitment to Education’ EDDY Award,” said Reardon. “The Free Library is an essential resource for information, entertainment, and education for an ever-growing number of Philadelphians. We’re proud of the work that we do every day, and we’re thrilled that our work is being recognized and honored by the Philadelphia Education Fund.”
The Free Library is one of six EDDY Awards honorees, in the company of Kenneth Gamble (Star Alumnus EDDY); Mohammad Kakay (Rising Star EDDY); Citi (Star Business EDDY); and Helen Cunningham and A. Morris Williams, Jr. (Star Commitment to Education EDDY). A. Morris Williams, Jr. is also a long-time supporter and former Board member of the Free Library of Philadelphia. Of the honorees, Carol Fixman, Executive Director of the Philadelphia Education Fund, notes, “The EDDY Awards honor the individuals, businesses, and organizations that represent the region’s educational success stories.”
The 2010 EDDY Award recipients join a distinguished group of prior honorees including Pulitzer Prize Winning Journalist Acel Moore (2009); astronaut Guion S. Bluford (2008); Former School District of Philadelphia superintendent Constance Clayton (2008); Grammy Award winning singer/songwriter/poet/actress Jill Scott (2006); and Pennsylvania Governor Edward G. Rendell (2007) among others.
WHYY- TV’s Tracey Matisak will serve as the evening’s emcee for the 2010 EDDY Awards. Proceeds from the EDDYs support the Ed Fund’s innovative educational programs and initiatives that assist public school students.
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The Free Library of Philadelphia system consists of 49 branches, three regional libraries, the Parkway Central Library, and the Library for the Blind and Physically Handicapped. With more than 6 million visits annually, the Free Library is one of the most widely used educational and cultural institutions in Philadelphia.
11/04/2010
Department of External Affairs, Free Library of Philadelphia, 1901 Vine Street, Philadelphia, PA 19103-1189
(215) 567-7710, FAX (215) 567-7850