The Catskill Chronicle

SULLIVAN COUNTY, NY (April 9, 2013) – National Library Week is April 14 – 20, a time to remind the public about the contributions libraries, librarians and library workers make to their communities every day. Today’s libraries are driven by the needs of the community and provide a wide range of opportunities for people with diverse needs and interests. Libraries and librarians throughout the country are providing their communities with tailor-made collections and services for people of diverse backgrounds, language abilities and technological skills. The Ramapo Catskill Library System (RCLS) and its member libraries, during National Library Week are celebrating the valuable contribution of libraries and librarians in schools, universities and public libraries. The library helps foster all types of communities. Celebrate today by visiting your library – in person or online and remember that “Communities matter @ your library.”

“Community-building connections are happening all the time at your library. From new moms connecting at storytime to small business owners convening to make opportunities happen, to teens meeting up after school,” said Robert Hubsher, RCLS Executive Director. “We see this in our local libraries firsthand, in ways big and small.”

“Service to the community has always been the focus of the library. While this aspect has never changed, libraries have grown and evolved in how they provide for the needs of every member of their community. Libraries are the heart of every community and National Library Week is the perfect time to visit your local library and see that this trusted institution makes it its business to enrich and shape the community and address local issues.”

National Library Week 2013 marks the 13th year of The Campaign for America’s Libraries, a multi-year public education campaign sponsored by the American Library Association (ALA), and libraries across the country to speak loudly and clearly about the value of libraries and librarians in the 21^st century.

Everyday more than 120,000 librarians nationwide connect students, families, senior citizens, businesspeople, teachers and professors with the information they want and need to be successful in a swiftly changing and increasingly global era. With today’s tough economy, libraries offer free resources to help people find jobs and learn new skills. With tools to help you search for a new job, resources to help your kids with their homework and, of course, books to expand the horizons of your dreams – it’s all free at your library. People of all ages and backgrounds find entertainment, develop skills and come to find their place in the community. People gather for book discussions, for storytime with their children or to volunteer or look for volunteer work. The local library helps the community thrive.

National Library Week is the perfect time to remember that “Communities matter @ your library.” For more information on special events and programs being held during National Library Week, contact your local library listed in the white pages of your telephone book or visit the Ramapo Catskill Library System’s Website at www.rcls.org.

The Ramapo Catskill Library System is a state mandated organization serving 47 member libraries in Orange, Rockland, Sullivan and part of Ulster Counties. RCLS provides centralized automation, consulting and support services, delivery of materials, coordinates and facilitates cooperation among member libraries, and is engaged in advocacy for and promotion of public libraries.