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Michelle Obama Honors NY Library With Nat'l Medal

NEW YORK (AP) -- First lady Michelle Obama has presented a national medal for bilingual education to a New York library that became a center of healing for its community following the stabbing death of an Ecuadorean immigrant.

Obama presented the Patchogue-Medford Library with a National Medal for Museum and Library Service during a ceremony Friday in the White House.

The library was among 10 recipients of the medal, including the New York Botanical Garden.

The Institute of Museum and Library Services selected the Long Island library for its work bringing Spanish-speaking immigrants and English speakers together.

The library played a role in supporting the community of Patchogue after Marcelo Lucero was killed in 2008 during a confrontation with a mob of teenagers targeting Hispanics.

(Copyright 2010 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)

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