National Information Literacy Awareness Month, 2009, 51445-51446 [E9-24290]
Download as PDF
Federal Register / Vol. 74, No. 193 / Wednesday, October 7, 2009 / Presidential Documents
51445
Presidential Documents
Proclamation 8429 of October 1, 2009
National Information Literacy Awareness Month, 2009
By the President of the United States of America
A Proclamation
Every day, we are inundated with vast amounts of information. A 24-hour
news cycle and thousands of global television and radio networks, coupled
with an immense array of online resources, have challenged our long-held
perceptions of information management. Rather than merely possessing data,
we must also learn the skills necessary to acquire, collate, and evaluate
information for any situation. This new type of literacy also requires competency with communication technologies, including computers and mobile
devices that can help in our day-to-day decisionmaking. National Information
Literacy Awareness Month highlights the need for all Americans to be adept
in the skills necessary to effectively navigate the Information Age.
Though we may know how to find the information we need, we must
also know how to evaluate it. Over the past decade, we have seen a crisis
of authenticity emerge. We now live in a world where anyone can publish
an opinion or perspective, whether true or not, and have that opinion
amplified within the information marketplace. At the same time, Americans
have unprecedented access to the diverse and independent sources of information, as well as institutions such as libraries and universities, that can
help separate truth from fiction and signal from noise.
Our Nation’s educators and institutions of learning must be aware of—
and adjust to—these new realities. In addition to the basic skills of reading,
writing, and arithmetic, it is equally important that our students are given
the tools required to take advantage of the information available to them.
The ability to seek, find, and decipher information can be applied to countless
life decisions, whether financial, medical, educational, or technical.
erowe on DSK5CLS3C1PROD with MISCELLANEOUS
This month, we dedicate ourselves to increasing information literacy awareness so that all citizens understand its vital importance. An informed and
educated citizenry is essential to the functioning of our modern democratic
society, and I encourage educational and community institutions across the
country to help Americans find and evaluate the information they seek,
in all its forms.
NOW, THEREFORE, I, BARACK OBAMA, President of the United States
of America, by virtue of the authority vested in me by the Constitution
and the laws of the United States, do hereby proclaim October 2009 as
National Information Literacy Awareness Month. I call upon the people
of the United States to recognize the important role information plays in
our daily lives, and appreciate the need for a greater understanding of
its impact.
VerDate Nov<24>2008
11:39 Oct 06, 2009
Jkt 220001
PO 00000
Frm 00001
Fmt 4790
Sfmt 4790
E:\FR\FM\07OCD2.SGM
07OCD2
51446
Federal Register / Vol. 74, No. 193 / Wednesday, October 7, 2009 / Presidential Documents
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand this first day of
October, in the year of our Lord two thousand nine, and of the Independence
of the United States of America the two hundred and thirty-fourth.
[FR Doc. E9–24290
Filed 10–6–09; 8:45 am]
VerDate Nov<24>2008
11:39 Oct 06, 2009
Jkt 220001
PO 00000
Frm 00002
Fmt 4790
Sfmt 4790
E:\FR\FM\07OCD2.SGM
07OCD2
OB#1.EPS
erowe on DSK5CLS3C1PROD with MISCELLANEOUS
Billing code 3195–W9–P
Agencies
[Federal Register Volume 74, Number 193 (Wednesday, October 7, 2009)]
[Presidential Documents]
[Pages 51445-51446]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E9-24290]
Presidential Documents
Federal Register / Vol. 74, No. 193 / Wednesday, October 7, 2009 /
Presidential Documents
[[Page 51445]]
Proclamation 8429 of October 1, 2009
National Information Literacy Awareness Month,
2009
By the President of the United States of America
A Proclamation
Every day, we are inundated with vast amounts of
information. A 24-hour news cycle and thousands of
global television and radio networks, coupled with an
immense array of online resources, have challenged our
long-held perceptions of information management. Rather
than merely possessing data, we must also learn the
skills necessary to acquire, collate, and evaluate
information for any situation. This new type of
literacy also requires competency with communication
technologies, including computers and mobile devices
that can help in our day-to-day decisionmaking.
National Information Literacy Awareness Month
highlights the need for all Americans to be adept in
the skills necessary to effectively navigate the
Information Age.
Though we may know how to find the information we need,
we must also know how to evaluate it. Over the past
decade, we have seen a crisis of authenticity emerge.
We now live in a world where anyone can publish an
opinion or perspective, whether true or not, and have
that opinion amplified within the information
marketplace. At the same time, Americans have
unprecedented access to the diverse and independent
sources of information, as well as institutions such as
libraries and universities, that can help separate
truth from fiction and signal from noise.
Our Nation's educators and institutions of learning
must be aware of--and adjust to--these new realities.
In addition to the basic skills of reading, writing,
and arithmetic, it is equally important that our
students are given the tools required to take advantage
of the information available to them. The ability to
seek, find, and decipher information can be applied to
countless life decisions, whether financial, medical,
educational, or technical.
This month, we dedicate ourselves to increasing
information literacy awareness so that all citizens
understand its vital importance. An informed and
educated citizenry is essential to the functioning of
our modern democratic society, and I encourage
educational and community institutions across the
country to help Americans find and evaluate the
information they seek, in all its forms.
NOW, THEREFORE, I, BARACK OBAMA, President of the
United States of America, by virtue of the authority
vested in me by the Constitution and the laws of the
United States, do hereby proclaim October 2009 as
National Information Literacy Awareness Month. I call
upon the people of the United States to recognize the
important role information plays in our daily lives,
and appreciate the need for a greater understanding of
its impact.
[[Page 51446]]
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand this
first day of October, in the year of our Lord two
thousand nine, and of the Independence of the United
States of America the two hundred and thirty-fourth.
(Presidential Sig.)
[FR Doc. E9-24290
Filed 10-6-09; 8:45 am]
Billing code 3195-W9-P