The publication is reproduced in full below:
HONORING KAREN KENINGER, DIRECTOR OF THE NATIONAL LIBRARY SERVICE FOR THE BLIND AND PRINT DISABLED, IN CELEBRATION OF HER RETIREMENT
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HON. DANNY K. DAVIS
of illinois
in the house of representatives
Thursday, May 20, 2021
Mr. RODNEY DAVIS of Illinois. Madam Speaker, I rise today to acknowledge a noteworthy occasion at the Library of Congress's National Library Service for the Blind and Print Disabled (NLS)--the retirement of Director Karen Keninger. Having dedicated nearly a decade of service under two Librarians of Congress, Karen's devotion to the NLS collection shows in the excellence she has brought to the program through both expansion of the collection and innovation of service.
The NLS is an institution committed to serving readers with disabilities with the mission of ensuring ``that all may read''. Offering free braille and talking book library services for people with temporary or permanent reading disabilities, the NLS has played an instrumental part in ensuring that the Library of Congress' collection can be enjoyed by all Americans.
As director of the NLS, over her nearly decade of leadership, Karen has doubled the collection of talking books and magazines while reducing production time for reading materials. She has opened up new worlds for all NLS patrons by ushering in the creation of mobile apps for downloading books and magazines in audio and braille, as well as advocating that the United States be a party to the Marrakesh Treaty, which provides for the exchange of accessible-format books across international borders. Her mission to ensure ``that all may read'' was all the more realized through her instrumental involvement in the launch of braille eReader device pilot programs to both increase the speed of getting materials to patrons and reduce storage and delivery requirements for materials for librarians.
Beyond the collection, Karen has played the lead role in the renovation of the NLS satellite office building and the adoption of a new, modernized name for NLS reflecting its service to not only blind Americans, but to the larger print disabled community. She ushered in a new era of NLS service and restructured the organization to better align with the mission of the Library to provide access for all the American people.
This year, the NLS celebrated its 90th Anniversary. It is due to dedicated servants of the American people, like Karen, that we owe our thanks for a successful and influential program that touches American lives every day.
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SOURCE: Congressional Record Vol. 167, No. 88
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