NORFOLK — This month, Norfolk Public Library is celebrating Library Card Sign-up Month, a national campaign of the American Library Association that emphasizes the importance of library cards to a child’s education and to combat illiteracy.
This year, the library association has chosen Disney and Pixar’s popular “Toy Story 4” characters Woody, Buzz Lightyear, Bo Peep and friends as ambassadors to help promote the value of a library card, officials said in a news release.
They join thousands of schools and public libraries across the nation in reminding parents and caregivers that it’s the most important school supply of all, and it’s free.
Library Card Sign-up Month first started in 1987 as a response to then Secretary of Education William Bennet, who said “let’s have a campaign … Every child should obtain a library card and use it.”
Since then, Library Card Sign-up Month has been held each September to mark the beginning of the school year and the time that ALA and libraries combine efforts to sign up every child for a card, officials said.
This fall, the public library will be distributing library card applications to every child who attends a Norfolk Public School.
The library would like residents to assist in their efforts to Create a City of Readers by having children return the completed library card application to any NPL branch at any time of the year.
By owning a public library card, residents get access to: Books and eAudiobooks; DVDs, music CDs and magazines; free WiFi and mobile hot spots; 90-plus databases and online resources; classes; e-learning; technology and more.
To learn more about library cards and the other programs the Norfolk Public Library offers, click here.
