George H.W. Bush: “Conference on Library and Information Services March 6, 1992 To the Congress of the United States: I am pleased to…”

“Conference on Library and Information Services March 6, 1992 To the Congress of the United States: I am pleased to transmit to you the Summary Report of the 1991 White House Conference on Library and Information Services and my recommendations on its contents as mandated by the Congress in Public Law 100-382, section 4. The world has changed dramatically since the last White House Conference on Library and Information Services. The thirst for freedom has swept aside the acceptance of tyranny. New and amazing technologies have made ideas accessible to everyone. Books, faxes, computer disks, and television and news broadcasts have ended the reign of ignorance and helped create a whole new world of enterprise, competition and, with it, intellectual growth. Library and information services are vital because they help ensure a free citizenry and a democratic society. It was appropriate that the 1991 Conference addressed three major themes of great concern to our own society: literacy, productivity, and democracy. These three issues are now more important than ever as we work to raise our Nation's educational level, to make the American work force preeminent in the world, and to serve as an example to the rest of the world regarding the benefits of a democratic society. We live in exciting times with our world changing daily.…”