Oprah to showcase Dakota Fanning READ®, Cedric the Entertainer LISTENTM posters

Contact: Trish Cleary, ALA Graphics

Marketing Manager

312-280-2426


tcleary@ala.org

For Immediate Release

November 21, 2006

Oprah to showcase Dakota Fanning READ
^®, Cedric the Entertainer LISTEN™ posters

CHICAGO –
The Oprah Show airing Tuesday, November 28, will showcase the latest ALA READ
^®
and LISTEN™
posters from “Charlotte’s Web” stars Dakota Fanning and Cedric the Entertainer.

The celebrity READ
^® poster series is the most recognized promotion series for literacy and libraries. For over 25 years, the ALA has worked with well-known celebrities like Denzel Washington, Sean Connery, Barbara Walters, and Shaquille O’Neal plus rising stars like Tony Hawk, Margaret Cho, Salma Hayek and Ben Roethlisberger of the Pittsburgh Steelers.

Fanning is well known for her range as a young actress and has starred in a number of films including “War of the Worlds” and “Man on Fire.”
In her latest picture, she plays the coveted role of Fern in “Charlotte’s Web,” which will be released December 15.
Her co-stars include Oprah, Julia Roberts, Cedric the Entertainer and Robert Redford, among many others. Fanning has won a
British Academy of Film and Television Arts (BAFTA) award and is the youngest actor ever nominated for a Screen Actor’s Guild Award. Fanning’s passion for reading comes to life in her Celebrity READ
^® poster,featuring her holding her favorite book, “Charlotte’s Web.”

Celebrity LISTEN™
Posters promote the popularity of audiobooks and music selections at today’s libraries. The posters are sold on a non-profit basis primarily to libraries, schools, and organizations that promote literacy.

Cedric the Entertainer, who voices Golly the Goose in “Charlotte’s Web,” launched the ALA’s LISTEN™
poster series in October.
The actor/comedian posed with the
“Charlotte’s Web” audiobook. Cedric has celebrated many career successes spanning television, live performances, and numerous films. He is best known for his crowd-pleasing comedic roles in hit films like
“The Honeymooners,” “Barbershop,” “The Original Kings of Comedy” and “Big Momma's House.” He is a recipient of the Aftra Award of Excellence in Television Programming, a recipient of the Richard Pryor Comic of the Year Award and has received an unprecedented four consecutive National Association for the Advancement of Color People (NAACP) Image Awards for his ground-breaking work as host of Def Comedy Jam and Black Entertainment Television's (BET) Comicview.

Dakota Fanning and Cedric the Entertainer are the latest celebrities to donate their time and likeness to help promote libraries and support literacy. Both join celebrities such as Orlando Bloom, Serena Williams, Danica Patrick, and Yo-Yo Ma

To view the complete line of READ
^® and LISTEN™ posters please visit the ALA Store Web site at
www.alastore.ala.org .

The American Library Association (ALA) is the oldest and largest library association in the world with over 64,000 members. Members are primarily librarians but also trustees, publishers and other library supporters. Its mission is to promote the highest quality library and information services and public access to information.