GALLIPOLIS — City Commission President Dow W. Saunders met with representatives from the Bossard Memorial Library to sign a proclamation declaring the week of April 15-21 as National Library Week.

Since it is also Turn Off Your TV week, residents are encouraged to visit their local libraries and take advantage of the resources they have to offer.

“Reading is your ticket out of anything,” said library board member Elaine Armstrong. “You can travel anywhere or be any place because your imagination takes you there in pictures and words.”

Libraries transform communities and play a vital role in supporting life in them. They deliver a world of knowledge both in person and online.

The BML has plenty of activities planned, which began Sunday with a book signing with inspirational author Paula Blevins and music by violinist Kaiti Dovyak. The library;s own version of “Antiques Roadshow” is set from 6 to 8 p.m. on Thursday and family movie night is at 6:30 p.m. Friday.

There will also be reading programs throughout the week and daily prize giveaways. The library has new books, children’s storytime, the website, Internet access and the bookmobile available as well.

“People read more today than they did in the past, it’s just a different quality of literature,” said Betty Clarkson, director of the Bossard Library. “The demands in our society are different now. We have to read to drive, cook, work, or use the Internet. We read a lot of short stories and informational articles as opposed to novels. People like instant gratification.”

“Before we had television, we had the wonderful world of words,” said Armstrong. “They can be very powerful.”

So turn off your TV’s this week and open a book. You’ll be glad you did.