Library Gets Cameo in Obama Speech to Congress
Norman Oder -- Library Journal, 2/26/2009
- Teenager who wrote to President is featured
- Wrote letter on library computer
- ALA sees opportunity to tout value of libraries
A public library, the default place for those lacking computers to get access, got a cameo Tuesday night in President Barack Obama's address to Congress.
He said: "I think about Ty'Sheoma Bethea, the young girl from that school I visited in Dillon, South Carolina—a place where the ceilings leak, the paint peels off the walls, and they have to stop teaching six times a day because the train barrels by their classroom. She had been told that her school is hopeless, but the other day after class she went to the public library and typed up a letter to the people sitting in this chamber... The letter asks us for help..."
The speech generated a standing ovation for the 14-year-old, who sat next to First Lady Michelle Obama during the speech. As the Chicago Tribune reported, Ty'Sheoma essentially used the computer as a typewriter; she brought her letter to the school principal, who scanned it and e-mailed copies to not only South Carolina's representatives in Congress, but also to the White House, given that Obama had visited the school twice.
American Library Association (ALA) president Jim Rettig took the opportunity to remind the public and government officials about the value of libraries. “This anecdote not only shows how engaged the young people in our country are, but it also sheds light on how important the library is to these students,” he commented.
"I thank President Obama for sharing Ty’Sheoma’s inspiring story," Rettig said. "I hope it encourages our nation’s governors to use stimulus money wisely to ensure that every community has a local library – a library open ample hours with a librarian to help every child like Ty’Sheoma who needs a place to study or aspire. Our libraries are important not only to our youth, but also to adults; libraries are helping to rebuild the economy through assistance with online job searching and resume development, education on personal finances, and other services that respond to today’s pressing needs.”
