Gov. Charles W. Turnbull has proclaimed April "School Library Media Month" in the Virgin Islands, stating in a press release that this is the 17th year of the observance in the territory and in the nation.
A Government House release quotes the governor as saying in his proclamation that "Learning to use all kinds of libraries is an important part of the school library media curriculum. The school library media programs foster both excellence and equity in education, and promoting competency in new and developing technologies is an integral part of the school library media program."
The month-long observance is sponsored by the American Association of School Librarians, a division of the American Library Association. Its theme each year is the same as that of National Library Week, which the ALA has sponsored from the start, 43 years ago.
National Library Week is April 1-7 this year, with "@ your library," a salute to the Internet era of library services, as its theme. Across the nation, its sponsors include school, public, academic and special libraries. "It is a time to celebrate the contributions of our nation's libraries and librarians and to promote library use and support," a press release from the ALA states. It adds, "Many school libraries also celebrate the month of April as School Library Media month."
Turnbull in his proclamation urged people "to visit their schools and witness firsthand the school media libraries, programs and services" and to "rededicate" themselves "to the cause of furthering information and library media opportunities."
National Library Week came about because of indications in the mid-1950s that Americans were reading less and paying attention to radio, television and musical instruments more. The ALA and the American Book Publishers formed a nonprofit committee to address the situation. The panel took both intellectual and social approaches, urging people "to read in their increasing leisure time" but also calling for "improving incomes and health" and "developing strong and happy family life." The first National Library Week, in 1958, had "Wake Up and Read!" as its theme.
The Government House release does not mention National Library Week or reading. It states that "the Department of Education recognizes the need to provide viable library media programs to meet the curricular needs of students, providing personal pleasure in addition to helping students cope with everyday problems."
