National Library Week 2010: Communities Thrive @ Your Library

National Library Week will be observed April 11-17, 2010 with the theme, "Communities Thrive @ your library®." First sponsored in 1958, National Library Week is a national observance sponsored by the American Library Association (ALA) and libraries across the country every April. The time is a celebrate the contributions of our nation's libraries and librarians and to promote library use and support. Author Neil Gaiman, winner of this year’s Newbery Medal for "The Graveyard Book," has been named the 2010 Honorary Chair of National Library Week.



With the advent of televisions in the mid-1950s, research showed that Americans were spending less money and time on books and reading. ALA helped form the National Book Committee in 1954 and three years later, the committee developed the plan for National Library Week. The first National Library Week was celebrated in 1958 with the theme “Wake Up and Read!” as assembled by ALA and the Advertising Council.