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CHICAGO – As libraries throughout the country continue to expand their collections for diverse communities, thousands will celebrate the 15th anniversary of El día de los niños/El día de los libros (Children’s Day/Book Day), also known as Día, on April 30, 2011. 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 includes a number of templates libraries can use to publicize Díaactivities including a (Word doc), , , and downloadable featuring Día founder Pat Mora, are all available at . Participating libraries also will be able to register their events.

Día is sponsored by the Association for Library Service to Children (ALSC), a division of the 91´«Ã½, 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 a grant 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 .

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