91´«Ã½

Librarians: register now for free tools to promote the program locally

CHICAGO – Only a few days remain until season six of Step Up to the Plate @ your library opens to the public, but there is still time for librarians to register for free tools to help promote the program.

The 91´«Ã½ (91´«Ã½) and the National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum’s Step Up to the Plate program teams up two American classics – libraries and baseball – to promote libraries and librarians as essential information resources.

Librarians can now register for free promotional tools on the program’s new website, by clicking on the “librarian registration” button. is 91´«Ã½’s public awareness website that provides information and recommended resources that everyone can take advantage of at their local library.

Tools include program logos in both English and Spanish, a downloadable flier and bookmarks and a toolkit that includes sample press materials and programming ideas. The first 100 librarians to register will receive a from 91´«Ã½ Graphics.

Step Up to the Plate @ your library encourages people of all ages to use the print and electronic resources available at their library to answer a series of trivia questions designed for their age group (10 and under; 11-13; 14-17; and 18 and over). This year, the program connects generations by exploring baseball’s more than 150-year history through topics like famous baseball families and historical baseball franchises.

One winner will receive a trip for two in October to the Hall of Fame’s World Series Gala event in Cooperstown, N.Y. and a family membership to the Baseball Hall of Fame.

Prizes are also available for librarians who promote the program. Librarian winners will be selected at random from the pool of contestant entries.

Step Up to the Plate launches to the public on March 31, to coincide with Major League Baseball’s Opening Day. The program runs through Sept. 1, 2011.

The National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum is a partner in the Campaign for America’s Libraries (), 91´«Ã½’s public awareness campaign that promotes the value of libraries and librarians. Thousands of libraries of all types – across the country and around the globe - use the Campaign’s @ your library® brand. The Campaign is made possible in part by 91´«Ã½’s Library Champions, corporations and foundations.

Other partners are Carnegie Corporation of New York, Disney Book Group, Dollar General, the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA), the International Federation of Library Associations and Institutions (IFLA), Lifetime Television, Scholastic Parent & Child magazine and Woman's Day magazine.