Contact: Megan McFarlane
Campaign Coordinator
mmcfarlane@ala.org

For Immediate Release
March 18, 2008

"From local to global @ your library":South Africa celebrates Library Week

The Library & Information Association of South Africa (LIASA), the newest member of the Campaign for the World’s Libraries, celebrates South Africa Library Week this week with the theme, "From local to global @ your library."

The theme was inspired by Neal Petersen, a South African yachtsman who was the first black man to sail solo around the world. Petersen is a noted library advocate, stating that he learned about sailing and navigation by reading books at his local library.  To read more about South Africa Library Week, visit the LIASA Web site.

The Campaign for the World’s Libraries was developed by ALA and the International Federation of Library Associations and Institutions (IFLA) in 2002 to showcase the unique and vital roles played by public, school, academic and special libraries worldwide. To date, library associations in 33 countries have joined the campaign, and the @ your library brand has been translated into 24 languages.

IFLA is a Founding Partner of The Campaign for America’s Libraries, the ALA’s multi-year public awareness campaign. Other Founding Partners include Dollar General, the National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum and Woman’s Day.

The Campaign is made possible in part by ALA’s Library Champions, ALA’s highest level of corporate members, who support public awareness and advocacy for America’s Libraries.