CILIP have announced that National Libraries Day will round off a week’s worth of celebrations in public, school, college, university, and workplace libraries on Saturday 8 February 2014.
National Libraries Day shines a light on the people that provide access to knowledge in our communities, workplaces, schools, colleges and Universities; librarians and information professionals. Every day they are improving literacy rates, connecting people with the information they need to succeed and helping to build a fair and prosperous society. Saturday 8 February 2014 and the week leading up to it will be a chance to say thank you, to witness first-hand the vital work that they do and to show decision-makers that our libraries and librarians are assets to be treasured.
For National Libraries Day 2013, thousands of people took part in over 500 events in libraries across the country, including author visits, live music performances, book clubs, family history days, stand-up comedy and behind the scenes tours. Highlights included record-breaking school librarians, Dalek invasions and pole-fitness classes.
National Libraries Day is a grassroots campaign with leading charities, local authorities, library campaigners and library staff involved. The Steering group is made up of the Chartered Institute of Library and Information Professionals (CILIP), the Reading Agency, the School Library Association and the Society of Chief Librarians.
CILIP President, Phil Bradley said, “In the 21st century libraries are more necessary than ever. We are in the middle of an information revolution and librarians and information professionals are central to it. Their contribution to society is immense and wide-ranging and includes helping people to find work, supporting the government’s digital by default agenda, improving literacy and encouraging reading for pleasure. National Libraries Day is a celebration of what is great about our libraries and librarians I urge everybody to join the fun and send a clear message that they are much loved and much needed.”
The Twitter hashtag is #NLD14
