The Craig Public Library has been recognized again for its service to Prince of Wales Island. The national Institute of Museum and Library Sciences announced today that the Craig Library was among 30 finalists for the National Medal for Museum and Library Services.

The award is the highest honor given to museums and libraries for community service. According to the institute, the award celebrates institutions that “demonstrate extraordinary and innovative approaches to public service to make a difference for individuals, families, and communities.”

The finalists include 15 libraries and 15 museums nationwide, from Brooklyn, New York to Denton, Texas. Craig’s library is the only Alaska facility on the list.

This isn’t the first time the Craig Public Library has been honored. Last fall, it was named a Star Library for the second year in a row by the Library Journal.

The National Medal for Museum and Library Services winners will be named later this spring, according to the institute. Representatives from winning facilities will travel to Washington, D.C., for an awards ceremony.

A list of all 30 finalists is below.

Libraries

  • Brooklyn Public Library (Brooklyn, New York)
  • Cecil County Public Library (Elkton, Maryland)
  • Craig Public Library (Craig, Alaska)
  • Embudo Valley Library and Community Center  (Dixon,  New Mexico)
  • Illinois Fire Service Institute Library (Champaign, Illinois)
  • Los Angeles Public Library (Los Angeles, California)
  • Madison Public Library (Madison, Wisconsin)
  • Mid-Columbia Libraries (Kennewick, Washington)
  • Middle Country Public Library (Centereach, New York)
  • Phoenix Public Library (Phoenix, Arizona)
  • Terrebonne Parish Library System (Houma, Louisiana)
  • The Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture (New York, New York)
  • The Westport Library (Westport, Connecticut)
  • Tulsa City-County Library (Tulsa, Oklahoma)
  • University of North Texas Libraries’ Portal to Texas History (Denton, Texas)

Museums

  • Amazement Square (Lynchburg, Virginia)
  • Tuckerton Seaport & Baymen’s Museum (Tuckerton, New Jersey)
  • Chabot Space & Science Center(Oakland, California)
  • Children’s Museum of Brownsville (Brownsville, Texas)
  • The Eric Carle Museum of Picture Book Art (Amherst, Massachusetts)
  • Louisiana Children’s Museum (New Orleans, Louisiana)
  • Museum of Northern Arizona (Flagstaff, Arizona)
  • Patricia and Phillip Frost Museum of Science (Miami, Florida)
  • Nantucket Historical Association (Nantucket, Massachusetts)
  • New York Hall of Science (Queens, New York)
  • Phipps Conservatory and Botanical Gardens (Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania)
  • The Tech Museum of Innovation (San Jose, California)
  • The Strong (Rochester, New York)
  • Gladys Porter Zoo (Brownsville, Texas)
  • The Wild Center (Tupper Lake, New York)