• "Planning Your Community Programs" and DEAF AMERICA READS poster are available by means of free download on the FOLDA website.  The poster is designed by a well-known deaf artist, courtesy of the National Literary Society of the Deaf  http://www.folda.net/lib/reading.html

• Two documents: "I Helped Make America Great" and "Maryland Association of the Deaf" http://www.folda.net/mail/issues.html

• To access public libraries in  your area, please go to www.publiclibraries.com

• The Red Notebook, a project of Library for Deaf Action on behalf of the Friends of Libraries for Deaf Action  Now online under the name of "Deaf Resources @ your library".   To learn more about FOLDA and The Red Notebook, please visit http://www.folda.net/introduction/folda.html

Libraries may include appropriate deaf resources in their program and exhibition when observing annual events in local communities all the year round.  The National Literary Society of the Deaf (NLSD) also invites the nation's libraries and deaf organizations to participate in its new reading promotion project called, "One Book" Deaf America Reads 2008-2010. 

NLSD, its partners and affiliates promote deaf culture, books and literacy regardless of geographical area. http://www.folda.net/nlsd/about.htm

The month was enacted into law on August 17, 1988 on the approval of Public Law 100-402.  This law also requests US president to proclaim it every year.

Sponsored by the Library of Congress and five other agencies
http://www.loc.gov/topics/hispanicheritage/about/

2008 THEME "Getting Involved: Our Families, Our Community, Our Nation."

Celebrating the histories, cultures and contributions of American citizens whose ancestors came from Spain, Mexico, the Caribbean and Central and South America.   There is a newly established organization called National Council of Hispano Deaf and Hard of Hearing - Fray Pedro Ponce de Leon. One of its goals is to promote educational, cultural, economic and social opportunities for deaf Hispanics. www.nchdhh.org

Sponsored by the World Federation of the Deaf and its national organizational members http://www.wfdeaf.org/members.aspx   In US: www.nad.org

2008 THEME "Human Rights through Sign Languages"

Promoting  public awareness in local communities to strengthen solidarity among deaf people and to call attention to concerns important to deaf people  Some places in US and other countries observe the week at different times during the year. 

Several deaf organizations in all parts of the US will be hosting ASL fun related activities during the week, such as California Association of the Deaf (www.cad.1906.org) on September 26 in Sacramento at the State Capitol and Deaf and Hard of Hearing Center of Christi Corpus, Texas (www.deaf-hh.org) in its building on September 22.   

Sponsored by the American Library Association and five other national organizations and endorsed by the Center for the Book in the Library of Congress.
http://www.ala.org/ala/oif/bannedbooksweek/backgroundb/background.cfm

2008 THEME "Closing Books Shuts Out Ideas"

Stressing the importance in ensuring our freedom to choose books we wish to read and also the freedom to express our opinion, even if that opinion might be considered unorthodox or unpopular. Ultimately, we are not to take this democratic freedom for granted. 

Sponsored by the Young Adult Library Services Association (YALSA), a division of the American Library Association   www.ala.org/yalsa

2008 THEME "Books with Bite @ your library"

Reminding teens to spend time reading for pleasure. Research shows that teens who read for fun usually have better test scores and are more likely to succeed in the workforce. 

There are several ways for deaf organizations and public libraries to work together in promoting deaf culture, books and literacy in local communities.  For example, they may sponsor a library program called, "I Helped Make America (or state) Great." Local people would be asked to share stories in ASL about heroes and founders of deaf organizations. Also, they may invite deaf leader, author or celebrity to introduce "One Book" Deaf America Reads in 2008-2010 to teens and adults in the audience as well as two other books for children.  "Deaf America Reads" poster and "Planning Your Community Programs" are available by means of free downloads on the FOLDA website.

Some libraries may have programs in observance of this week.  The purpose of the week is to celebrate birth anniversaries of the two pioneers in deaf education who were born in the month of December -- Laurent Clerc on December 26, 1785 and Thomas Hopkins Gallaudet on December 10, 1787 -- and to recognize their impact on American society since the 19th century.  This week, formerly Deaf Awareness Week, was initiated in December 1974 by the D.C. Public Library.
Email:  library_deaf_dc@yahoo.com