For Immediate Release
August 14, 2000
Library Card Sign-Up Month
Fayetteville, NC- September is Library Card Sign-Up Month - a time when libraries across the country remind parents that a library card is the most important school supply of all.
The observance was launched in 1987 to meet the challenge of then Secretary of Education Edward Bennett who said: "Let's have a national campaign…every child should obtain a library card-and use it." Since then, thousands of public and school libraries join each fall in a national effort to ensure every child does just that.
Cumberland County Public Library & Information Center (CCPL&IC) cards are free to Cumberland County residents. While borrowing privileges are granted on the spot, some form of identification with proof of residency and/or the signature of a guardian are required.
Libraries play an important role in the education and development of children. Studies show that children who are read to in the home and who use the library perform better in school and are more likely to continue to use the library as a source of lifetime learning.
CCPL&IC offers books, magazines, audio- and videotapes, computers, and other multimedia materials which can be borrowed simply by showing a library card. Librarians are on hand to help locate recommended materials suitable for various ages and interests.
CCPL&IC also offers a variety of programs to stimulate an interest in reading and learning. Preschool story hours expose young children to the joy of reading, while homework sessions provide assistance to older children after school. Summer reading clubs keep children reading during school vacation and have been shown to be the most important factor in avoiding the decrease in reading skills that educators refer to as "summer learning loss." Movies and puppet shows are other popular offerings.
For more information on these and other services or to sign up for a library card, contact one of seven CCPL&IC locations throughout Cumberland County. Check it out!