HOUSE RESOLUTION NO. 21

(By Delegates Jenkins, Hubbard, Leach, Compton, Marshall, Capito, Spencer, Facemyer, Yeager, Mahan, Pettit, Warner, Douglas, Fleischauer, Susman, Hatfield, Smirl, Miller and Fletcher)




Honoring the public library system of West Virginia for the 1998 summer reading program, titled "Crawl into a Good Book," and naming the ladybug as the official West Virginia insect pursuant to a vote by children in thirty-five counties who participated in the 1998 summer reading program.

Whereas, The public libraries of West Virginia chose the subject of insects as the 1998 theme for their children's summer reading program, "Crawl into a Good Book"; and
Whereas, The participating children of the State of West Virginia were made aware of a great variety of insects and their importance in our ecology; and
Whereas, To stimulate reading among children of the State of West Virginia, each child was told that he or she would have the opportunity to help select an official state insect as many other states currently do, but West Virginia does not; and
Whereas, This theme initiated the largest readership for summer reading in recent years with thousands of children participating; and
Whereas, This large readership increased circulation as much as twenty percent over last year and thirty-five percent over normal circulation; and
Whereas, Recognizing that we have a state butterfly but also recognizing that butterflies are considered a separate insect order; and
Whereas, The children of thirty-five counties that participated in the voting were given one vote each to select from a list of forty different insects when they registered for the summer reading program and the ladybug received more votes than any other insect; therefore, be it
Resolved by the House of Delegates:
That the public libraries of West Virginia are hereby commended for their work in the 1998 summer reading program known as "Crawl into a Good Book"; and, be it
Further Resolved, That the ladybug is hereby adopted as the West Virginia state insect on behalf of the overwhelming majority of children indicating the ladybug as their choice; and, be it
Further Resolved, That the Clerk is hereby directed to forward a copy of this resolution to the director of the West Virginia Library Commission and to the Secretary of State.