BIRMINGHAM - AL -
The Birmingham Public Library and Olympic gold medalist
Vonetta Flowers are teaming to increase awareness of the value of the library to the community. Flowers will star in
a "Champions for Learning" awareness campaign. It is set to launch July 27 as the 2012
Summer Olympics get underway.
Flowers is a Birmingham native. She says she has volunteered her time to record public service announcements during a recent
visit to the magic city. In a thirty second television ad, Flowers
speaks of the impact the Birmingham Public Library had on
her life as a child and about her unexpected launch into a successful
bobsledding career. Other elements of the campaign include posters and print
ads, all encouraging area residents to visit their local library. The
campaign runs through August.
"The Birmingham Public Library has been in the community for 125
years serving not only as a free resource, but also as a champion for lifelong
learning," said Library Director
Irene Blalock. "Because she is also a champion, we could think of no
better partner for this initiative than Vonetta Flowers. We are so
grateful that she contributed her time to being part of this initiative."
Birmingham's public libraries have a strong presence in the
community that will be enhanced by this effort. Last year alone the libraries served
2 million people. And 50,000 books were read by youth participating
in the summer reading programs that take place at various branches.
This campaign launch comes on the heels of the new logo
design slated to be unveiled officially on August 1. The new logo is
a variation of the enduring flame of knowledge and speaks to exactly what the library represents
as a community organization that provides educational and entertainment
opportunities at its 19 branch libraries. Naturally, reading is
the main association that most have with the library. So books remain a focus
for the organization's image.
