103 STAT. 2664 PROCLAMATION 5915—NOV. 23, 1988 rience of the best books that intellectual independence and critical thinking become the natural assets of each citizen. Otir free society, then, must prize its libraries just as it values its liber- ties. We can all resolve dining National Book Week to take stock of our own reading practices and our attentiveness to sharing books vfiih others, especially the young. Technological change and specialized pub- lications—electronic books, braille and large-print media for the visual- ly impaired, recorded books and other forms—^have greatly increased the accessibility of all kinds of literature. Promoting even broader dis- semination of book learning, including efforts to achieve 100 percent lit- eracy in our Nation, is the proper concern of all Americans. Truly we owe it to futiu-e generations to understand, preserve, and pass on the wisdom of the ages found only in books. The Congress, by Senate Joint Resolution 342, has designated the period of November 28 through December 5, 1988, as "National Book Week" and authorized and requested the President to issue a procla- mation in observance of this occasion. NOW, THEREFORE, I, RONALD REAGAN, President of the United States of America, do hereby proclaim November 28 through December 5, 1988, as National Book Week, and I ujrge all Americans to observe this week with appropriate programs, ceremonies, and activities. IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand this twenty- third day of November, in the year of our Lord nineteen hundred and eighty-eight, and of the Independence of the United States of America the two hundred and thirteenth. . « RONALD REAGAN Proclamation 5915 of November 23, 1988 Vocational-Technical Education Week, 1988 By the President of the United States of America < A Proclamation Over the years, our Nation has benefited greatly from persons who have developed their vocational and technical skills and used those skills in helping to build strong and vibrant communities. Today, Amer- ica's industries and businesses are facing new challenges in a more competitive international environment, and to continue to prosper they must achieve a higher level of innovation and productivity than ever before. To assist in meeting this challenge, young people must have a firm foundation in the basic skills that will enable tiiem to fill jobs that require advanced vocational and technical training. Various studies have projected that the future job market will consist more and more of such technically intensive occupations. If our econo- my is to have a sufficient crop of candidates for these occupations, it must be able to rely upon a large and growing pool of trained vocation- al educators. Fortunately, there are dozens of State and national groups committed to quality education in vocational specialties, and these groups are attuned to economic trends and supportive of professional
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