Mr. BLUMENAUER. Mr. Speaker, from April 12-18, 2009, our nation
celebrated National Library Week and the vital role that these
institutions and their dedicated staff play in supporting our
communities. On April 22, 2009, the House of Representatives passed H. Res. 336, supporting the goals and ideals of National Library Week and encouraging Americans to take full advantage of these wonderful public resources.
In Oregon, we pride ourselves on our strong community and a
commitment to quality of life and education. Public libraries are a
vital piece of this fabric and, in fact, Oregon has the second highest
circulation of public library materials in the nation and the only 5-
star library in the Northwest. As the economic downturn has pushed
family budgets to the brink, these resources are more important than
ever. In addition to public reading and visual materials, libraries
offer Internet and computer access for all, free of charge. Many also
serve as community spaces for gatherings and events.
Another library that deserves recognition is our very own Library of
Congress. In 2008, to highlight the world-class work of this
institution I formed the Library of Congress Caucus, now nearly 50
Members strong. I have the distinct honor of co-chairing this
bipartisan organization with my friend Congressman Zach Wamp. Our goal
is to draw further attention to the nation's library, its collections
and curators, and to encourage further use by Members of Congress and
the public alike.
The Library of Congress not only houses the much-appreciated
Congressional Research Service, it also offers 1.6 million visitors
access to 15 million primary-source documents and operates the
Veteran's History Project and the Surplus Books Program. One of my
favorite programs, the Surplus Books Program is an innovative book
donation program, through which Members may send library materials to
the schools and libraries in their home district. At a time when
funding for libraries is scarce, this is a simple way to reduce book
waste and distribute excess resources to our communities and schools
where they are needed most.
I strongly encourage members to take advantage of these extraordinary
programs and resources, and congratulate all our nation's libraries, librarians, and library-enthusiasts.