FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

FOR MORE INFORMATION CONTACT:

April 10, 2009

Pat McGuckin
Henry Haupt

Secretary of State and State Librarian Jesse White Marks
National Library Week April 13-19

SPRINGFIELD – Secretary of State and State Librarian Jesse White is saluting Illinois librarians and other members of the library community who are celebrating National Library Week April 13-19.

"As State Librarian I am extremely honored to be associated with so many outstanding men and women in the Illinois library community,” White said. “I enjoy visiting our libraries throughout the state, and see firsthand that librarians and library staff are some of our most dedicated, hard working and knowledgeable public servants. Our libraries are very important to our communities, and during National Library Week I urge citizens who use and enjoy libraries to thank their local librarians and library staff for all of their good work."

White said libraries continue to be the best and most reliable sources of information available to citizens.

“Illinois has a strong network of more than 5,000 academic, public, school and special libraries and regional library systems that are unquestionably the finest in the nation,” said White. “More and more people are using our libraries, particularly as they try to cope with our state and our nation’s current economic difficulties. Whether they are looking for books, magazines, videos, CDs, answers to reference questions or free Internet access, library users know they can count on librarians and library staff who have the training and skills to meet their needs. National Library Week shines a well-deserved spotlight on our libraries, and I am proud to be part of the outstanding Illinois library community.”