尊敬的主办单位领导、各位同仁和来宾：
　　今天我十分荣幸地代表我的国家——美利坚合众国，在这里与伟大的 国家——中华人民共和国，继续这项富有历史性意义的文化交流活动。
　　在这新的21世纪里，我们期望借助于科技的发展，使我们更方便地交流我们的理念，想法、文化和信息。但我们要做的更多更好。诚如美国博物馆及图书馆服务总署的官员Mary Chute所说：我们与中国的协议除了可以让我们能够分享更多的信息、想法和文化宝藏之外，它也让我们中美的专业人士有机会互相鼓励对话和增进理解。这些专业人士包括了艺 术家、学者、档案管理员、博物馆专业人员和图书馆管理员，他们都对我们的文化遗产特别关心。
　　我们这个合作的项目无疑的是为迈向更远大的目标而跨出的重要一步。我们期望透过这项计划所开辟的途径与合作关系，促进我们两国之间进一步的了解进而产生深远的影响。
　　美国专家组十分高兴地成为“放眼全球、行诸全球“这个历史性项目的一部分。此项目的资金来自中国的文化部和美国的政府机构——也就是美国博物馆及图书馆研究总署。伊利诺依大学香槟校区的 图书馆更是十分荣幸的被遴选为此项目的主导者。我们将向湖南省的各位同仁分享美国公共图书馆的最佳实践方法； 同时，我们也要向中国的公共图书馆学习公共服务的理念和获取信息的方法。
　　我们非常高兴的来到长沙。我们期盼着这次在中国的访问会带来成功及丰硕的成果。我们知道，当我们离开中国时，我们将会满载着热诚的中国图书馆员的新思想和新朋友而归。当我们回到美国时，我们也会将很多在中国学到的东西和我们在美国的同行们分享。我预祝这次长沙图书馆系统高级研修班圆满成功！谢谢大家!（美国伊利诺依大学香槟校区总图书馆副馆长 史考特•瓦尔特）

　　I am deeply honored to be here with you today and to represent my country, the United States of America, as it continues this historic cultural relations program with your great nation, the People’s Republic of China.
　　In this still-new century, we have grown to expect access to technology that makes it easy to share our ideas, cultures, and information.  But we want even more.  As Mary Chute, the Deputy Director of the United States Institute of Museum and Library Services, noted, “Our agreement with China allows us to share more than information, ideas and cultural treasures.  It allows us to encourage dialogue and understanding between the Chinese and American professionals – the artists, scholars, archivists, museum professionals and librarians – who are concerned with our cultural heritage.”
　　Our joint project is an important step towards achieving something even greater.  We expect that through the paths and connections that this program will create, it will have a significant impact on promoting a greater understanding between our two nations.
　　The United States is very pleased to be part of this important historic project, “Think Globally, Act Globally,” which is funded jointly by the China Ministry of Culture and the United States government agency, the Institute of Museum and Library Services.  The Library of the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign is privileged to have been chosen to be a part of this project.  We will be sharing best practices in United States public and academic libraries with librarians in Hunan and Fujian, where we also will be learning about public services and access to information in libraries in China. We look forward to this discussion and this dialogue among professional colleagues.
　　It is a pleasure for all of us to be here.  We look forward to a productive and successful visit with our colleagues in China.  We know that we will leave your country with many new ideas and many new colleagues and friends, and that we will have much to share with our professional colleagues when we return to the United States.
　　Thank you.