That’s right, today is Blog Action Day 2008 and everyone who has joined is writing to raise awareness in the fight to end world poverty. How can you not get behind a day that is trying to get people off their comfy office chairs to end poverty?

I can tell you that I believe librarians are in a great position to help raise awareness and combat poverty. We provide information and resources for free, to everyone! We help people become educated and we all know that education, especially of women, can raise a person, a family and even a country above poverty. Education is a method, albeit with slower results than food drops, to combat poverty. We can give of ourselves and pledge our libraries to fighting poverty in our communities and around the world. Whether we are working in academic, special, school or public libraries, we can all do something. Librarians rock, we are smart and we can come together.

What small things could we do? We could have a food drive, a coat drive, make banners that let people know the facts about poverty and what they can do to help. We can support student organizations in their events that sponsor local community food banks and support services. We can give books and resources to organizations that distribute them to communities that need the materials.

What can we do that is so small and doesn’t even require getting out of the office? Go to Free Rice and play the vocabulary game. Improve your vocabulary and donate rice at the same time.

Libraries are so important, people who care enough to teach and help children and adults learn are so important and your contributions to changing the world for the better are so important. Remember, you can make a difference. Rock on librarians and everyone who is supporting Blog Action Day!