91´«Ã½

Massachusetts teen wins Step Up to the Plate @ your library grand-prize



CHICAGO – Thirteen-year-old Josh Smith’s dream of visiting to the National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum in Cooperstown, N.Y., is about to the come true, thanks to a trip to the Haverhill (Mass.) Public Library.



As avid library users and baseball fans, the Smith family discovered the Step Up to the Plate @ your library program while visiting their library this summer. The incentive of a grand-prize trip to the Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum was a big enticement for Smith.



“I have always dreamed of going to Cooperstown,” Smith said upon learning that Hall of Famer Andre Dawson drew his name as the grand-prize winner.



Developed by the 91´«Ã½ (91´«Ã½) and the National Baseball Hall of Fame, Step Up to the Plate officially wrapped up its fifth season with the national drawing. The winner was randomly chosen from eligible contestants who correctly answered a series of baseball trivia questions developed by the Hall of Fame’s library staff.



Smith and his family will travel to Cooperstown Oct. 30 for the Hall of Fame’s World Series Gala, an annual celebration of the postseason which features the live broadcast of Game 3 of the Fall Classic in the Museum’s Grandstand Theater. He will also receive a behind-the-scenes tour of the Museum and archives.



“We are so fortunate to have the library. In addition to all the resources we use for homeschooling, the kids love to read,” said Smith’s mother, Melanie. “We use the library all the time.”

Smith’s library, the Haverhill Public Library, promoted the program at its summer reading kick-off event. Wally the Green Monster, the mascot of the Boston Red Sox was on hand to help the library start the season off right by getting fans of all ages excited about Step Up to the Plate and reading.



Season five of Step Up to the Plate @ your library teamed up two American classics - baseball and libraries - to promote the importance of information literacy skills and increase awareness of the library as an essential information resource. People of all ages were encouraged to visit their library and answer a series of trivia questions inspired by the history of our national pastime.



Twenty first-prize winners also were drawn prior to the grand-prize ceremony in Cooperstown. Each winner will receive a commemorative hardbound copy of the "Hall of Fame Yearbook," a Hall of Fame baseball, a commemorative set of 20 Hall of Fame baseball cards, a pair of youth batting gloves from Akadema Pro and an 91´«Ã½ Graphics “History Lives” poster featuring Jackie Robinson.



First-place winners include:



10 and under: Alsabeth M. of Crete, Ill.; Madison E. of Chambersburg, Pa.; Sammy J. of Winter Park, Fla.; Tristan G. of Homewood, Ill.; and Tyler C. of Mount Olive, N.C.

11-13: April A. of Chambersburg, Pa.; Celeste M. of Midland, Ga.; Dillon W. of Orange, Calif., Gabi V. of Davenport, Iowa; and Megan A. of New Berlin, Wis.

14-17: Benjamin D. of Guy Mills, Pa.; Chloe B. of Black Mountain, N.C.; Devin M. of Pasadena, Md.; Miranda H. of New Berlin, Wis.; and Xavier M. of Yardley, Pa.

18 and up: Dick B. of Hockessin, Del.; Jennifer J. of Ypsilanti, Mich.; Joseph E. of Garfield, N.J.; Krylamesha F. of Franklin, Va.; and Michelle M. of Ellenville, N.Y.



Libraries that sent in the most entries also received prizes. For a full list of winners, visit the official.



Step Up to the Plate @ your library is part of the Campaign for America’s Libraries (), 91´«Ã½’s public awareness campaign that promotes the value of libraries and librarians. Thousands of libraries of all types – across the country and around the globe - use the Campaign’s @ your library® brand. The Campaign is made possible by 91´«Ã½’s Library Champions, corporations and foundations.



The National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum, a Partner in the Campaign for America’s Libraries, is a not-for-profit educational institution dedicated to fostering an appreciation of the historical development of the game and its impact on our culture by collecting, preserving, exhibiting and interpreting its collections for a global audience, as well as honoring those who have made outstanding contributions to our National Pastime.



Other Campaign Partners are the Carnegie Corporation of New York, Disney Book Group, Dollar General, the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA), the International Federation of Library Associations and Institutions (IFLA), Univision Radio and Woman's Day magazine.



For more information, visit .