Rep. Vagnozzi offered the following resolution:

House Resolution No. 330.

            A resolution recognizing the week of April 13-19, 2008, as National Library Week in the state of Michigan and congratulating the American Library Association on the occasion of the 50th anniversary of National Library Week.

            Whereas, The American Library Association (ALA) annually designates a week in April as a national observance to celebrate the contributions of this nation's libraries, librarians and library workers to their communities and to promote library use and support; and

            Whereas, This year, the ALA will be celebrating the 50th anniversary of National Library Week, which was first sponsored in 1958; and

            Whereas, Each year, participants include all types of libraries across the country, including school, public, academic and special libraries; and

            Whereas, This year's theme is "Join the circle of knowledge at your library," as citizens of all ages are being encouraged to find out how they can join the circle of knowledge by visiting their local library; and

            Whereas, America's libraries are vital institutions and dynamic centers of lifelong learning that play a unique role in ensuring the public's right to know and empowering people from all walks of life to make informed decisions about the world around them; and

            Whereas, Libraries play an integral role as community, educational and cultural centers that bring together diverse populations and serve as important cornerstones in healthy communities; and

            Whereas, Libraries have the most recent ideas and information available on subjects and are a cost-effective means of providing education, training and the opportunity for self-improvement to all individuals without regard to age, race, income or socioeconomic background; and

            Whereas, As vital connections to the people, places and ideas of the world through books, magazines, videos and the Internet, libraries are the primary point of online access for people without computers at home, school or work; and

            Whereas, Libraries provide indispensable educational resources for children and teenagers, plenty of free activities, as well as safe, enriching entertainment for the whole family; and

            Whereas, Librarians and library workers play key roles in helping people explore, imagine and discover new horizons in the vast world of information, knowledge and entertainment; and

            Whereas, Two-thirds of adult Americans visit their local public libraries annually, with more than a billion visits made each year by adults, and likewise by students to their school libraries; and

            Whereas, America's libraries play a key role in the national discourse on intellectual freedom, equity of access and narrowing the digital divide and are the cornerstone of our democracy; and

            Whereas, Thousands of libraries and library supporters across the nation are celebrating National Library Week this year; now, therefore, be it

            Resolved by the House of Representatives, That the members of this legislative body  recognize the week of April 13-19, 2008, as National Library Week in Michigan, and encourage all citizens of Michigan to visit their local library and explore the wide variety of cultural and educational riches that libraries hold; and be it further

            Resolved, That we recognize this nation's librarians, library workers and supporters for their contributions to their communities, and congratulate the American Library Association on the occasion of the 50th anniversary of National Library Week.