Libraries Across the Country Honor 9/11 Day of Service
Libraries across the country are taking part in the first official September 11 Day of Service and Remembrance, a day established by President Obama and Congress to honor the sacrifices of 9/11 heroes, and engage more Americans in serving their communities.
All types of libraries will be hosting special volunteer opportunities in remembrance of September 11, 2001 and in an effort to engage more residents in working to strengthen their communities.
“The tragic events of September 11, 2001 inspired Americans to action and unified us as a nation,” said Keith Michael Fiels, American Library Association executive director. “The memory of September 11 continues to inspire us to serve our neighbors, our communities and our country. We are pleased to join this national effort and thank the President for making this call to service.”
This past April, President Obama signed the Edward M. Kennedy Serve America Act and officially recognized September 11 as a National Day of Service and Remembrance for the first time. This September 11, Americans will join together in service projects across all fifty states and re-commit to serving their communities.
September 11, 2009 will mark the first milestone in the United We Serve program, President Obama’s nationwide initiative to create a sustained, collaborative, and focused effort to meet community needs. The day will be an opportunity for all Americans to recommit to volunteering throughout the year. The initiative is being led by the Corporation for National and Community Service, a federal agency that improves lives and strengthens communities though volunteering and service.
To make it easy for individuals to get involved, the Corporation created Serve.gov, a website that allows visitors to type in their zip code to find local volunteer opportunities, recruit volunteers by posting their organization’s projects, or get ideas for creating their own projects with friends, families, and neighbors. Libraries have been posting volunteer opportunities on serve.gov since the United We Serve initiative was announced.
“One of the best ways to honor the heroes of 9/11 is by reaching out in service to others,” said Fiels. By serving on September 11, we hope more American residents will make an ongoing commitment to volunteering at their library throughout the year.
United We Serve is President Obama’s national call to service challenging all Americans to engage in sustained, collaborative, and focused service in their communities. United We Serve is being led by the Corporation for National and Community Service, a federal agency that improves lives and strengthens communities though volunteering and service. For more information, visit www.Serve.gov.