To remind Americans of the importance of reading in shaping their lives and the lives of their children, the Center for the Book has chosen "Shape Your Future -- READ!" as the Library's national reading promotion theme for 1995-1996.
"Reading teaches us about the world," said John Y. Cole, the center's director. "It helps us make wise choices in our lives, including career choices, and it inspires us with stories of courageous men and women who have contributed to society."
"Shape Your Future -- READ!" is a unifying theme for organizing and supporting reading and literacy projects that benefit all age groups. It continues the work of hundreds of national and community coalitions formed in previous Center for the Book reading promotion campaigns, including "Year of the Lifetime Reader" in 1991, 1992's "Explore New Worlds -- READ!" and "Books Change Lives" in 1993-1994.
"For the new campaign, we will mobilize our 29 affiliated state centers and the 134 national educational and civic organizations that serve as our Reading Promotion Partners," said Dr. Cole. "Moreover, we have two special spokescharacters who will help us promote the theme among young people: Gumby, the classic green-clay boy and star of 'The Gumby Show,' a weekday television show for kids on the Nickelodeon channel, and Dudley the Dragon, whose hit show for children, 'The Adventures of Dudley the Dragon' is seen on public television stations around the country."
The new theme was officially introduced on Nov. 16 in the Library's Great Hall at an event marking National Young Reader's Day, a joint project of the Center for the Book and Pizza Hut Inc., sponsor of the BOOK IT! Reading Incentive Program in the nation's schools. More than 150 local students joined Librarian of Congress James H. Billington, Pizza Hut President Alan Huston, John Cole, Gumby, Dudley the Dragon and characters from the movie "Pagemaster" for storytelling, lunch and a program honoring reading and reading achievement.
A new Center for the Book brochure outlining how individuals and organizations can participate in the "Shape Your Future -- READ! campaign was distributed. To receive a copy, write the Center for the Book, Library of Congress, Washington, DC 20540-8200.