September 8, UNESCO’s International Literacy Day, is a timely reminder to the world about the importance of literacy for individuals, families, communities, and whole societies. This year’s theme, “Literacy sustains development,” emphasizes that literacy is not only a positive outcome of development processes, but also a lever of change and an instrument for achieving further social progress.

September is Library Card Sign-up Month, an observance started in 1987. Over the past two decades, thousands of public and school libraries have joined forces each fall in a national effort to encourage more families to get library cards. Library cards are generally free to those living in the library's service area. Some libraries may require some form of identification, proof of residency or the signature of a guardian.

South Carolina State Library cardholders who have always wanted to browse the stacks at 1500 Senate St. will get their chance starting Sept. 1, when the library’s new stack pass policy begins.

State Library cardholders, who include current and retired state employees, as well as staff members from other South Carolina libraries, will be allowed to peruse the stacks after receiving a pass at the front desk.

Students can revisit their most powerful literary experiences through a contest that asks them to write a personal letter to an author and explain how his or her work changed their perspective on the world. 

The national Letters About Literature competition is open to students in grades four through 12, and submissions are being accepted until Dec. 8. The annual competition is sponsored by the South Carolina Center for the Book in partnership with Target.

Tech Express, South Carolina’s public library Technology Institute arrives September 13, 2006 at the Columbia Conference Center.   We encourage you to begin thinking about emerging technologies and the issues before the event, by reading the web logs (blogs) of our three dynamite speakers:

The executive director of the Columbia Museum of Art is one of five presidential nominees chosen this month to serve on the National Museum and Library Services Board.

The board advises the Institute of Museum and Library Services, an independent agency that is the primary source of federal money for the nation’s 122,000 libraries and 17,500 museums. Karen Brosius will combine her new responsibilities with those she handles as director of the Columbia museum.

The South Carolina State Library will present "Tech Topics to Go" for state government employees this fall.

The six one-hour sessions provide examples and tips on implementing new web-based technologies in the workplace for internal use and for promoting state government services to the public. The first session, on blogging, will be held Sept. 22 at the State Library.

The New Members Round Table of the South Carolina Library Association and EBSCO Subscription Service are taking nominations for the annual Outstanding New Professional Award.

The award honors a library professional who has made a significant contribution within the first three years of his or her professional library service. This year the award will include a $300 prize and a plaque.

Library Journal is now accepting nominations for Best Small Library, which comes with a $15,000 cash prize.

Innovative use of technology, creative programs and community outreach efforts are just a few of the tools necessary to build the 2007 Best Small Library in America.

Library Journal is now accepting nominations for Best Small Library, which comes with a $15,000 cash prize. Nominations are due Nov. 1, the winner will be notified in December, and the official announcement will be made in the Feb. 1, 2007, issue of Library Journal. 

A Georgetown County library’s goal of attracting teens is on the right track - thanks to interactive computer gaming. In addition to dozens of young patrons, the innovative program also earned the new facility recognition this week as WebJunction’s Library of the Month.