Library launches National Children's Week campaign

By By Steve Gillespie / staff writer
Nov. 20, 2002
The Meridian-Lauderdale County Public Library is celebrating National Children's Book Week through Saturday.
Donna McLendon, children's services coordinator, said free activities and handouts related to children's literature are available at the library.
The library also is taking votes from children and adults to determine the area's most popular children's author.
On Thursday in the children's department of the library children will make a handbook they can use in school featuring such Mississippi symbols as the state seal, flag, bird and mammal.
The week's activities will end Saturday with face painting by members of the local civic group, The Debs, from 1 p.m.-2 p.m. in the children's department.
After the face-painting, AmeriCorps volunteers will read stories to children from 2 p.m. until 3 p.m.
National Children's Book Week began in November 1919 after the American Booksellers Association passed a resolution at an annual meeting.
One of the founders of the promotion, Frederic Melcher, secretary of the association and editor of the trade publication Publisher's Weekly, wrote that the week is an important event.