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R E S O L U T I O N
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WHEREAS, Library professionals and supporters from across |
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the Lone Star State are gathering in Austin on February 16, 2011, |
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for Texans Support Libraries Day, and this occasion provides a |
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welcome opportunity to recognize the vital importance of our |
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libraries and the contributions made by librarians; and |
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WHEREAS, In 1839, Republic of Texas President Mirabeau B. |
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Lamar established the national library of Texas; today, the 561 |
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public libraries in the state range from the Round Top Library, |
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which serves 84 people, to the Houston and Dallas library systems, |
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which serve millions; more than 80 million visits were made to Texas |
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public libraries last year, and nearly 12 million Texans have |
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public library cards; and |
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WHEREAS, Libraries at Texas universities and community |
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colleges support the studies of more than two million students each |
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year, and school libraries play an integral role in educating close |
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to five million children; children's programs at Texas public |
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libraries draw over three million annually, and the 54-year-old |
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Texas Reading Club keeps more than 500,000 children and teens |
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reading each summer; and |
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WHEREAS, While helping to foster critical thinking, |
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libraries provide opportunities for Texans to enhance their |
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knowledge, education, careers, and quality of life through |
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literacy, technology, job-search, and other training programs; |
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libraries connect Texans with a wealth of electronic resources and |
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provide powerful research tools via the Internet; as a result, |
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library users have conducted more than 116.5 million searches of |
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TexShare online resources and retrieved nearly 50 million |
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electronic documents; for people without Internet connections at |
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home, school, or work, public libraries are the primary point of |
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online access, and for 67 percent of Texans, they provide the only |
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free means of online access in their communities; and |
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WHEREAS, The Texas State Library and Archives Commission is a |
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tremendous source of Texas-based knowledge, and along with that |
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organization, librarians work with the Texas Library Association, |
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the Friends of Libraries & Archives of Texas, and other local |
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library groups to improve access to library services; and |
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WHEREAS, Librarians understand how knowledge is organized |
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and teach users how to find, evaluate, and apply information |
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effectively; moreover, they foster a love of reading and learning |
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in children; and |
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WHEREAS, For more than 170 years, libraries and librarians |
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have helped Texans reach their fullest potential, and it is a |
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pleasure to join in celebrating the many ways in which they enrich |
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our lives; now, therefore, be it |
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RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 82nd Texas |
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Legislature hereby recognize February 16, 2011, as Texans Support |
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Libraries Day at the State Capitol and commend all those |
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participating for their dedication to promoting and supporting |
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library services; and, be it further |
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RESOLVED, That official copies of this resolution be prepared |
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for the Texas State Library and Archives Commission and the Texas |
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Library Association as an expression of high regard by the Texas |
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House of Representatives. |