October Is A NATIONAL Month

Often we find several National Something-or-Anothers in a month, but during this month we have four really great national events to celebrate.
October is National Book Month. The National Book Foundation, sponsor of this annual event, invites everyone to embark on the journey of a lifetime, travel to exotic places, mythical lands and experience adventure beyond imagination. Or escape to another era altogether. All without luggage, tickets, a passport or leaving home. All you need is an open mind. And an open book. With just a library card, you and your children can travel around the world. This is the month to get on the reading bus!
We are also celebrating National Crime Prevention Month. For the past 23 years National Crime Prevention Month has been observed in the month of October to help teach how to prevent crimes that are committed in the home and community. Since its inception in 1984, overall crime is down, and education and awareness is the key to crime prevention. When I hear things like 60% of residential burglaries occur during daylight hours or 65% of all burglaries are by forcible entry, that makes me want to learn anything I can about preventing crimes and join my local crime watch team.
Then there is National Family History Month. Each of us belongs to a family with traditions and a heritage that reflects who we are and where we come from. Family history research is among the most popular hobbies across the nation, with tens of millions of our fellow citizens actively researching their family histories and sharing family stories. The libraries, archives and museums of each state have a rich repository of information about our ancestors and their lives. Since October is National Family History Month, with celebrations and special programs planned throughout the nation, all citizens are encouraged to actively research and share their unique family histories and participate in Family History Month activities. Just remember, the Odom Genealogy Library is here for your use and has expanded its services. And I'll say more about Family History Month later. . .
National Stamp Collecting Month is also October. The annual event began in 1981 as a joint venture of the Council of Philatelic Organizations and the United States Postal Service. For the first National Stamp Collecting Month, then-postmaster general William F. Bolger called stamp collecting "the world's most popular hobby," and urged "employees and customers alike to discover the joy of stamp collecting - a hobby of a lifetime." The Postal Service has continued to promote the event by issuing special pictorial stamps intended to stimulate public interest in the hobby. And the United States isn't the only country to celebrate stamp collecting at a specific time. Germany and the Philippines also celebrate
the event.
Now back to National Family History Month. I'll celebrate it when our library hosts the Technology Lunch Bunch on Tuesday, October 23, with the program "Free Online Genealogy Databases." There will be two meetings held in the library's Willcoxon Auditorium; one at noon to 1 p.m. and the other at 6:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. Pick one of the times and come join us. It's a great learning opportunity. . .
Happy National Something-or-Another month! Learn all you can!
(Source: http://childrensbooks.about.com/, http://www.prweb.com/, http://www.michigan.gov/, http://www.linns.com/)