Highlights of Mrs. Bush's Library Tours and Visits
International Library Visits
November 23, 2002
Mrs. Bush tours the historic book collection of the University of Vilnius
Library and Cathedral in Vilnius, Lithuania.
May 24, 2002
Mrs. Bush and Mrs. Vladmir Putin, the wife of the Russian President, visit
the Russian State Children's Library in Moscow, Russia.
March 22, 2002
Mrs. Bush visits the Bi-National Center, also known as the Mexican-North
American Institute for Cultural Relations in Monterrey, Mexico. The Center
teaches English literacy and trains teachers to teach English. Mrs. Bush
tours the Benjamin Franklin Library, the only public bilingual library in
Monterrey, and the only lending library in Monterrey, Mexico.
July 19, 2001
The President and Mrs. Bush read to children in the Reading Room of
the British Museum in London, UK.
June 13, 2001
Mrs. Bush tours the University Library K.U. Leuven
(Universiteitsbibliotheek, Katholieke Universiteit Leuven) in Leuven,
Belgium.
June 12, 2001
Mrs. Bush visits the National Library of Spain (El Biblioteca Nacional) in
Madrid, Spain.
U.S. Library Visits
2003
January 17, 2003
Mrs. Bush delivers remarks to volunteers at the District of Columbia
Public Library, Martin Luther King, Jr. Branch, as part of the 2003 Greater
D.C. Cares Martin Luther King, Jr. Holiday of Service to encourage the
strengthening of schools and libraries and to promote volunteer service to
honor Dr. King's legacy.
2002
October 29, 2002
Mrs. Bush hosts the White House Colloquium on Libraries, Museums, and
Lifelong Learning to recognize the recipients of the National Awards for
Museum and Library Service. Mrs. Bush's efforts have focused on the key
role that librarians, continued learning, and discovery have in the lives
of young people and adults.
October 16, 2002
Mrs. Bush speaks at the Mobile Western Regional Public Library Opening in
Mobile, Alabama, on the importance of using our public libraries and
reading to children.
October 11-12, 2002
Mrs. Bush attends the second National Book Festival at the Library of
Congress to help stimulate public interest in books and reading, and
to recognize the critical part libraries play in advancing this goal.
June 13, 2002
Mrs. Bush speaks at the dedication of the Katherine Anne Porter Literacy
Center, the second "National Literacy Landmark" in Texas, in support of
special reading collections and libraries.
April 24, 2002
Mrs. Bush visits the George Bush Presidential Library and delivers the
Twanna Powell Lecture at Texas A&M University, in College Station, Texas,
to highlight her education initiatives and encourage volunteerism and
civic participation.
January 9, 2002
Mrs. Bush tours the Topeka Library in Topeka, Kansas, meets with Youth
Services Program volunteers, and reads to children. Mrs. Bush also
attended an evening gala in support of the importance of libraries and
lifelong learning.
2001
September 7, 2001
Mrs. Bush attends the first National Book Festival Gala at the Library of
Congress to help stimulate public interest in books and reading, and
to recognize the critical part libraries play in advancing this goal.
July 30, 2001
Mrs. Bush attends the National Book Festival launch and press
conference at the Library of Congress. Ray Allen of the Milwaukee Bucks,
representing the NBA's "Read to Achieve" program, was present and joined
Mrs. Bush and the Librarian of Congress, Dr. James Billington, in reading
to children.
April 4, 2001
During National Library Week, Mrs. Bush and Mrs. Suzanne Mubarak, First
Lady of Egypt, visit the District of Columbia Petworth Branch Library in
Washington, D.C.
April 3, 2001
Mrs. Bush visits the District of Columbia Public Library, Northeast Branch,
during National Library Week.
March 20, 2001
Mrs. Bush attends the "Everybody Wins D.C.!" reception at the Library of
Congress. Mrs. Bush remarks on her education initiatives and the
importance of programs that promote children's literacy and mentoring
in which adults make a commitment to read to children.
March 2, 2001
Mrs. Bush visits the District of Columbia Public Library, Martin Luther
King, Jr. Branch, where she participated in "Read Across America" day and
helped celebrate Dr. Seuss's birthday by reading to children from Thompson
Elementary School.
For more information on Mrs. Bushs Library Tours, please see the Laura Bush Foundation for Americas Libraries.