REMARKS BY ED TRACY
PRESIDENT & CEO OF THE LIBRARY

IT IS AN HONOR FOR OUR ORGANIZATION TO HAVE MAYOR DALEY, OUR FOUNDER COLONEL PRITZKER AND GARY JOHNSON AND MANY OF OUR CLOSE FRIENDS HERE TO JOIN WITH THE STAFF OF OUR ORGANIZATION TO RECOGNIZE THIS ACHIEVEMENT.

THERE ARE ACTUALLY THREE ACHIEVEMENTS WE ARE RECOGNIZING TODAY:

THE FIRST IS THE ONGOING RESTORATION OF THE MONROE BUILDING – AN ANCHOR AT THE CORNER OF MONROE AND MICHIGAN SINCE 1912 – THAT IS NOW BEING TRANSFORMED AND PRESERVED FOR THE NEXT 100 YEARS. LATER THIS YEAR, THE BUILDING WILL BECOME A VIBRANT, IMPORTANT CENTER FOR THE AREA…SERVING BUSINESSES, CREATING MORE JOBS AND SETTING A STANDARD FOR MODERN PRESERVATION EFFORTS IN DOWNTOWN CHICAGO.

THE SECOND ACHIEVEMENT WE ARE RECOGNIZING TODAY IS THE REALIZATION OF THE COLLECTIVE VISION OF SO MANY ARCHITECTS, PROFESSIONALS, ARCHIVISTS, LIBRARIANS AND OTHERS TO HELP CREATE THE NEW PRITZKER MILITARY LIBRARY, WHICH IS NOW HOUSED IN OVER 40,000 SQ FT ON THREE FLOORS IN THIS MAGNIFICENT LOCATION. THROUGH OUR GROWING COLLECTION OF BOOKS, PRINTS, POSTERS AND PROGRAMS, WE TELL THE STORY OF AMERICAN HISTORY THROUGH THE EYES AND EXPERIENCES OF CITIZEN SOLDIERS, SAILORS, AIRMEN, MARINES, AND COAST GUARD SERVICEMEN AND SERVICE WOMEN WHO PRESERVE OUR WAY OF LIFE. AND WHILE WE ARE HERE NOW, AND HAVE BEEN ACTIVE SINCE 2003 AT OUR ORIGINAL LOCATION IN STREETERVILLE, WE ARE STILL A VERY YOUNG ORGANIZATION, TRYING NEW TECHNOLOGY…AND JUST TURNING THE PAGE TO THE NEXT EXCITING CHAPTER IN OUR STORY…ONE THAT WILL BE TOLD FOR MANY YEARS TO COME. SO STAY TUNED.

PERHAPS MOST IMPORTANTLY, WE ARE RECOGNIZING THE ACHIEVEMENTS OF TWO CHICAGOANS – BOTH BORN TO INFLUENTIAL CHICAGO FAMILIES, BOTH VETERANS OF THE MILITARY, BOTH WITH DECADES OF PUBLIC SERVICE IN A VARIETY OF WAYS, AND BOTH DEDICATING THEIR BEST EFFORTS TO A CITY THAT WE CAN ALL BE SO VERY PROUD TO CALL OUR OWN.

ON BEHALF OF THE STAFF, THE PROJECT TEAM INVOLVED AND OUR BOARD, I AM PROUD TO BE A PART OF JIM PRITZKER’S ORGANIZATION …AND TO HAVE BEEN ABLE TO BRING THE VISION OF HIS LIBRARY TO ITS NEW HOME HERE AT 104 SOUTH MICHIGAN IN A CITY WITH THE BEST MAYOR IN AMERICA, RICHARD M. DALEY.