AND READ!
That's the slogan of America's
first National Library Week, and
it's sound advice; here's why.
by Jerry Klein
Read any good books lately?" is
a standard conversational
gambit. For most of us, the lit
eral and truthful reply would be a
confession that no, we hadn't.
Surprisingly, America has the
lowest proportion of book-readers of
, any major English-speaking country,
and during the course of a year, 60
percent of us read no book except
the Bible. Even if we can't afford to
buy all the books that seem inter
esting, half of us live within a mile
of a public library yet only a fifth
of us ever visit it.
This is especially sad in view of
the changes which are sweeping over
the nation's public libraries. Maybe
you haven't noticed, but no longer is
the library a dark storehouse in
which dusty, old librarians stand
over equally dusty, old shelves of
forbidding-looking volumes.
Today a fresh, - crisp breeze is
whipping through our public li
braries. They're coming alive as nev
er before, and playing a variety of
dramatically new and helpful roles
in community life.
These days you visit-the public
library not just to borrow a book,
but to make friends and share ideas,
to hear music, discuss important is
sues, borrow works of art, learn so
cial etiquette, and get advice on your
life's work. At the library, you learn
to read better, dress more smartly,
and earn a greater return on your
life's savings.
For the last 10 years or so, states
like California and Indiana have
been holding "library weeks" to
bring citizens up to date on how
their libraries have been changing,
but today begins the first National
Library Week. Its chief sponsors are
the American Library Association
and the National Book Committee,
and its slogan is "Wake Up and
Read." However, there's so much
going on at libraries these days that
the slogan might bette be "Wake
Up and Live!"
Let's say, for example, that you
never took much interest in books
because you're a slow reader. Li
braries in places like Providence,
R.I., sponsor Reading Improvement
Programs. One young man, who
took such a course and increased his
reading ability from 240 to 600 words
a minute, reported: "For the first
time in my life, I enjoy reading!"
Arra money fiom the Fund for
Adult Education, libraries in
Detroit began an Opportunity Clinic
for persons '16 to 21 who were not
in school. These youths were helped
to find themselves not only voca
tionally, but socially, too, with ses
sions on subjects like dance-floor be
havior and good grooming.
Detroit libraries also became the
stage for television shows. Teen
agers discussed their problems with
the head of the library youth service,
and authors confronted their critics
across the video round table.
Many libraries these days have
collections of records for lending.
Cleveland went further and organ
ized evening entertainments consist
ing of a talk on some musical sub
ject followed either by recordings or
live music performed by local talent
More and more bookmobile trucks
are bringing the library virtually to
the doorstep of families who live in
rural areas or in new residential sec
tions where library systems have not
been able to match the booming
population growth.
To give parents of young children
a chance to peruse the book stacks
in peace, the Rosenberg Library of
Galveston, Tex., inaugurated a week
ly Family Night. An attendant
watches over the small fry, and
there are films to keep older children
occupied while their parents browse,
listen to new recordings, or inspect
Richland, Wash., library holdi fencing exhibitions
just the idea to bring ' The Three Musketeers" alive!
Music lovers as well as book lovers, find During Summer months, Brooklyn librarians bring to
modern libraries fulfilling their needs, gether the wonders of the printed page and nature.
Family Weekly, March 16, J95 9