Janesville library director will host five school librarians from Russia

Bryan McCormick, director at Hedberg Public Library in Janesville, will host five school librarians from the Chuvashia region of Russia on September 28 to October 5 through Open World, which brings emerging leaders to the U.S. to learn more about the country, its democratic institutions and free-market economy. After spending three days in Washington, D.C., the librarians will come to Janesville to tour school libraries and businesses in the area, visit the State Capitol and take in cultural activities. There will be a public open house for the visitors at Hedberg Public Library Monday, September 29.

A federal program, Open World was set up in 1999 as a Russian-U.S. exchange pilot program administered by the Library of Congress. Since then, Congress has expanded Open World to operate in all countries. McCormick first got involved with Open World in 2003 when he was in Fairmont, MN. In 2004, he hosted a group of librarians, including a woman who became his wife in 2006! On July 30, 2008, Bryan won an award as an Outstanding Wisconsin Host.