Publicity tools now available for El día de los niños/El día de los libros, April 30

CHICAGO – As libraries throughout the country continue to expand their collections for diverse communities, thousands will celebrate El día de los niños/El día de los libros (Children’s Day/Book Day), also known as Día, on April 30, 2012. Libraries from coast-to-coast will host celebrations with family programs, including bilingual story hours, book giveaways and other literacy events. School and public libraries can promote Día with free publicity tools offered by the Association for Library Service to Children (ALSC).  The Día Publicity Tool kit includes a number of templates libraries can use to publicize Día activities including a Press Release Template,  PSA Templates, Letter to the Editor Template, Proclamation Template, Flyer Template, Talking Points,  Logos  and downloadable Audio PSAs featuring Día founder Pat Mora.  All are available at http://www.ala.org/news/mediapresscenter/presskits/eldiapresskit/diapubtools. Participating libraries can also register their events and receive complimentary stickers and buttons to use for their Día events. A Resource Guide is also available on the Día website to help librarians interested in creating Día programs and celebrations. The Guide contains program models and resources for many librarians who are new to Día, or have been celebrating Día for several years. Día is sponsored by the Association for Library Service to Children (ALSC), a division of the American Library Association, and is an enhancement of Children’s Day, which began in 1925.   Children’s Day was designated as a day to bring attention to the importance and well-being of children.  In 1996, nationally acclaimed children’s book author Pat Mora proposed linking the celebration of childhood and children with literacy thus the inception of El día de los niños/El día de los libros. Through Everyone Reads @ your library grants from the Dollar General Literacy Foundation, the Association for Library Service for Children (ALSC) continues to increase public awareness of the event in libraries throughout the country. ALSC is collaborating on this effort with the Founding Partner of Día, the National Association to Promote Library and Information Services to Latinos and the Spanish Speaking (REFORMA). For book lists and additional information on Día please visit http://dia.ala.org . ### Macey Morales Manager Media Relations, ALA 312-280-4393 mmorales@ala.org