Circle of Knowledge

I’m headed to New York City to see the first leg of the Knowledge Rocks concerts through. Just last night ifound out that some cool Dutch library staff I met at the Computers in Libraries Conference are going straight to NYC this morning as well…AND our Austrailian exchange staff members Lynette & Jane are coming up as well! Here’s to Knowledge Rocking together.

Oh, by the way…the concert will take place at Donnell Central Library at 3:30 p.m. on Saturday, April 12. It will be the last major event EVER at this location!

Straight from the American Library Association’s Web Site, a bit of history about National Library week:

In the mid-1950s, research showed that Americans were spending less on books and more on radios, televisions and musical instruments. Concerned that Americans were reading less, the ALA and the American Book Publishers formed a nonprofit citizens organization called the National Book Committee in 1954. The committee’s goals were ambitious.   They ranged from “encouraging people to read in their increasing leisure time” to “improving incomes and health” and “developing strong and happy family life.”  In 1957, the committee developed a plan for National Library Week based on the idea that once people were motivated to read, they would support and use libraries.   With the cooperation of ALA and with help from the Advertising Council, the first National Library Week was observed in 1958 with the theme “Wake Up and Read!” National Library Week was observed again in 1959, and the ALA Council voted to continue the annual celebration. When the National Book Committee disbanded in 1974, ALA assumed full sponsorship.