September is national Library Card Sign-up Month
CHICAGO - Actor-comedian and author George Lopez joins the American Library Association (ALA) and hundreds of libraries across the country this September promoting Library Card Sign-up Month. Lopez is the official spokesman for this national observance, which serves as a time to remind parents that the best back-to-school tool for their child is a library card.
Lopez stars in the hit ABC comedy series "George Lopez" and was named one of "The 25 Most Influential Hispanics In America" by TIME magazine in August 2005. He lives with his wife and 10-year-old daughter in Los Angeles and has his library card from the Los Angeles Public Library.
"Ensuring our children get the best education possible is no laughing matter. Reading fuels our dreams and goals for the future," Lopez said. "From homework help to book clubs, libraries are where it’s at. Your library card is your ticket to a world of opportunities. Get it, and use it at your library." Visit www.ala.org/lopez to see five things George Lopez likes about HIS library card.
Why buy when you can borrow? According to a recent survey from the National Retail Federation, parents will spend over $17 billion on back-to-school supplies. A library card provides free access to the more than $1 billion worth of materials - including DVDs, CDs, books, and online resources - bought by public libraries annually.
"No parent can afford to overlook the great resources freely available in our nation’s libraries," said ALA President Leslie Burger. "Libraries help level the playing field for people of all ages and backgrounds. 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."
Americans check out more than 2 billion items and visit their public libraries more than 1.3 billion times each year. Learn more about why your library card is the smartest card of all by visiting www.ala.org/lcsm . A Lopez photograph suitable for media publication can be downloaded at: www.ala.org/ala/pio/campaign/prtools/George_Lopez_Web.jpg .
