[Congressional Record Volume 156, Number 52 (Wednesday, April 14, 2010)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E537-E538]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                    SUPPORTING NATIONAL LIBRARY WEEK

                                 ______
                                 

                               speech of

                          HON. EARL BLUMENAUER

                               of oregon

                    in the house of representatives

                        Tuesday, April 13, 2010

  Mr. BLUMENAUER. Mr. Speaker, 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 vibrant community spaces for gatherings 
and events.
  Another library that deserves particular recognition is our very own 
Library of Congress. To highlight the world-class work of this 
institution, in 2008 I formed the Library of Congress Caucus, now 
nearly 70 Members strong. My friend Congressman Zach Wamp serves as co-
chair and 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.
  The Library of Congress not only houses the outstanding Congressional 
Research Service, it also offers 1.6 million visitors access to 15 
million primary-source documents and operates the Veteran's History 
Project. One of my favorite programs, the Surplus Books Program, is an 
innovative service through which

[[Page E538]]

Members may send extra books from the Library of Congress to schools 
and libraries in their home district. At a time when funding for public 
schools and libraries is scarce, this is a simple way to reduce waste 
and distribute excess resources to our communities and schools where 
they are critically needed.
  I strongly encourage members to take advantage of these extraordinary 
programs and resources, and congratulate all our nation's libraries, 
librarians, and library-enthusiasts.

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