Public awareness campaign showcases "Worlds connect @ your library®" theme

CHICAGO - The Moline (Ill.) Public Library is the winner of the 2009 Scholastic Library Publishing National Library Week Grant.

The $3,000 grant, sponsored by Scholastic Library Publishing and administered by the American Library Association's (ALA) Public Awareness Committee, is awarded annually for the best public awareness campaign in support of National Library Week (April 12-18, 2009).   This year, libraries were asked to develop a proposal using the 2009 National Library Week theme, "Worlds connect @ your library."

The Moline Public Library's campaign will be a community "kaleidoscope" of library programs to promote National Library Week, as well as the library's entire year of programming and promotions in 2009. Librarians Lisa Powell Williams and Christina Conklin said the library is like a kaleidoscope, having many different shapes, colors and ideas that connect the community.

Each day will focus on a different "kaleidoscope" themed program such as a visit from Skylab, a traveling planetarium provided by the Rock Island County Regional Office of Education for children and families, author appearances by Chris Crutcher and James Loewen organized through the Quad City Arts' Super Author program for teens and educators, and a jazz appreciation program for adults.

Throughout the spring, the library will advertise on some of the city's Metrolink buses. The library will also create a commercial that will be aired on Moline's local ABC-TV affiliate, WQAD, during the program, "Good Morning, Quad Cities" throughout National Library Week. Outreach to area press is also planned for the weeks leading up to National Library Week.

"Moline Public Library has created a unique program built around the energy of National Library Week but that incorporates a sustainable momentum designed to carry the library into the future," said Lisa R. Rice, chair of the National Library Week Subcommittee.

Members of the 2009 National Library Week Subcommittee are: Lisa R. Rice (chair), Bowling Green (Ky.) Public Library; Elliot L. Appelbaum, Lexington (Ky.) Public Library; Gordon Baker, Clayton State University, Morrow, Ga.; Darlene Basone, school library consultant, Maineville, Ohio, Renee DiPilato, Alexandria (Va.) Public Library - Duncan Library; Susan Kowalski, Pine Grove Junior High School, East Syracuse, N.Y.; Amanda Murphy, Warren-Trumbull County (Ohio) Public Library - Liberty Branch; and Tony Tallent, Boulder (Colo.) Public Library.

The Campaign for America's Libraries (www.ala.org/@yourlibrary) is ALA's public awareness campaign that promotes the value of libraries and librarians.  Thousands of libraries of all types - across the country and around the globe - use the Campaign's @ your library® brand. The Campaign is made possible in part by ALA's Library Champions (http://www.ala.org/ala/aboutala/contactus/librarychampions/index.cfm), corporations and foundations who advocate the importance of the library in American society

Scholastic Corporation (NASDAQ: SCHL) is the world's largest publisher and distributor of children's books and a leader in educational technology. Scholastic Library Publishing, a division of Scholastic, creates a multitude of products, both in print and online, for the school and public library market under the imprints of Grolier®, Children's Press®, Franklin Watts®, and Grolier OnlineTM.