WLS Annual Meeting 2007 - Sesame Street's "Word on the Street"

The Westchester Library System (WLS) held its annual meeting this evening at the newly completed Ossining Public Library, an innovative next generation library facility. The evening included presentations by WLS director Siobhan A. Reardon and Board of Trustees president Dave Donelson and a featured presentation by Gary E. Knell, president and chief executive officer of the Sesame Workshop.

Ms. Reardon opened the evening with an overview of the WLS State of the Library. She outlined the mission, vision and core values of WLS and discussed goals for the coming year. Mr. Donelson presided over the annual business meeting, including the nomination and election of new trustees.

Mr. Knell addressed challenges shared by the nonprofit educational Sesame Workshop and WLS in a rapidly changing education and technology environment. When the Sesame Workshop was founded in the 1960s, the television posed a perceived threat to learning. Sesame Workshop chose to harness the new technology rather than fight it, creating a product that both entertained and educated. Todays rapidly changing technologies require libraries and other educational organizations to continually reinvent themselves by taking advantage of new technology formats.

Literacy is one of todays critical child issues, said Knell. We need to think broadly and work as partners to use media and technology podcasts, YouTube, cable television, Internet programming, and many others in reinforcing learning. Our goal is help children learn to read and read to learn as a means toward a lifetime of learning. We are honored to host Gary Knell, a forward-thinking executive whose successes in evolving the Sesame Workshop to better reach its audience inspire us to adapt WLS services to benefit the education of our patrons, said Siobhan Reardon.

For a complete list of programs and events throughout the Westchester Library System, visit the WLS website at www.westchesterlibraries.org.

About the Westchester Library System
The Westchester Library System (WLS) includes 38 member public libraries located throughout the County and is one of New York State's 23 public library systems. WLS and its member libraries have a total collection of 5.4 million items, including 3.7 million books, as well as audio recordings, videocassettes, DVDs, print serials, and other materials. The mission of the Westchester Library System is to ensure that all residents have seamless access to excellent library service throughout Westchester County. The Westchester Library System serves as a center of innovation for the Westchester County library community. It provides model programs, affordable and easy-to-use information technology, and support services that enable libraries to continuously improve service to their communities.

Category:

Education

Tags:

• Libraries
• Gary Knell
• Sesame Street
• Word on the Street
• Sesame Workshop
• Books
• Children
• Literary
• Reading
• Westchester
• WLS