In September, Baseball Hall of Famer and author Cal Ripken, Jr., will team up with the American Library Association (ALA) to remind both parents and children that a library card is the most important school supply.
As Honorary Chair of Library Card Sign-up Month, Ripken invites everyone to sign up for the smartest card—a library card. Library Card Sign-up Month is a time when the ALA and libraries across the country join together to remind parents and caregivers that signing up for a library card is the first step in starting the school year off right. In fact, studies showing that students who use the library perform better in school.
Owning a library card provides students the resources they need to compete academically. Eighty-nine percent of Americans agree that public libraries enhance the educational experience, providing students free access to databases of news articles, encyclopedias and test preparation materials, as well as homework help and resources.
Libraries are the community hub of activity. In tough economic times, your library card gives you free access to books and computers, homework help, assistance with resumes and job searches, accurate financial information, adult education courses, CDs, DVDs and much more. For more information about Library Card Sign Up Month, visit www.atyourlibrary.org.
To sign up for a library card, visit your local library. Find information about the Metropolitan Library System at www.metrolibrary.org and the Pioneer Library System at www.justsoyouknow.org.
