CLA: September 13, 2007
(Ottawa) – October 2007 is Canadian Library Month, a chance for Canadians to discover the worlds of fun and knowledge at their fingertips through libraries.
“This year's theme of 'Libraries: the world at your fingertips' is an invitation to all Canadians to enter the magical universe of imagination, reading, and learning -- whether for leisure, work, school or research. We create bridges that span the globe regardless of format -- websites, e-resources, audio, video, books, newspapers and magazines,” says Canadian Library Association President Dr. Alvin Schrader.
Libraries will use the month to illustrate the many programs and services that libraries use to help Canadians get access to the information they need, and to advance reading and Canadian culture. All types of libraries and library services will be participating.
More than just books, public libraries are the heart-and-soul of their communities, providing high-speed access to the Internet and helping users learn how to find quality sites, in addition to a good read. They are among the few public spaces still open to all, regardless of age, gender, race, social status, economic circumstances, occupation, sexual orientation or language. School libraries play a pivotal role in students’ learning. Research shows there is a direct link between having trained school library staff with solid collections, and students achieving academic success.
Libraries at Canada’s academic institutions – universities and colleges – are critical to the creation of new knowledge as well as helping students access the knowledge of the present and past. Over 1,100 special libraries across Canada – in private businesses, government agencies and departments, and not-for-profit organizations – help their companies, departments or agencies be more productive and contribute to making better decisions across all sectors of the economy.
The library community is a major sector of the Canadian economy. Public libraries alone spend one billion dollars a year providing services and collections to the people of Canada. University and college libraries spend in excess of $200 million annually solely on their collections of books, electronic journals and other materials. Overall, there are 57,000 library workers in Canada serving Canadians in every walk of life through a network of 22,000 locations all across the country.
Canadian Library Month is organized by a pan-Canadian volunteer committee supported by the Canadian Library Association.
For further information, visit the CLA website: www.cla.ca or the CLA contact Judy Green, 613-232-9625 ext. 322 or jgreen@cla.ca
