Pioneering women who led and won struggles for equality and civil rights; created and advanced educational and professional opportunities; and made great contributions to the arts, sciences and humanistic causes are honored each year during the month of March - National Women's History Month. This special celebration evolved from National Women's History Week which began in 1981 as a result of a Joint Congressional Resolution. In 1987, the National Women's History Project petitioned Congress to expand the national celebration to the entire month of March. The Canton Public Library offers year-round access to a wide variety of resources highlighting the accomplishments and achievements of women.

Prodigal Summer by Barbara Kingsolver is the selected book in March. Copies of the book will be distributed at the February 24, 2010 meeting or can be picked up at the Canton Public Library's Adult Reference Desk after February. Participants must register with the Senior Adult Department at the Summit by calling (734) 394-5485. If you have questions, contact Joyce Simowski or Elaine Skrzynski at the Canton Public Library (734) 397-0999.

Today at 11:00 a.m., the Busy Moms Book Club will meet in the Children's Library Purple Room for a book discussion on Kabul Beauty School by Deborah Rodriguez. After the Taliban regime fell in Afghanistan after 9/11, the author traveled with a humanitarian group to help Afghans begin rebuilding their lives. Through American donations, she and other hair stylists established the Kabul Beauty School, where Afghan women learned skills in order to start their own businesses.

Fiction for the discriminating woman… a little romance, a little humor, some anger, some sorrow, but when you reach a certain age this is what life offers… beginnings and endings and endings leading to beginnings… The Last Time I Saw Paris by Elizabeth Adler, The Florabama Ladies' Auxilary & Sewing Circle by Lois Battle, Murder on a Girl's Night Out by Anne George, The Sunday Wife by Cassandra King, and Stately Pursuits by Katie Fforde.

What do these books have in common? They all have storylines of strong women who overcome obstacles and struggles. Empower yourself and give them a try!

Today President Obama created a new council whose mission will be "to provide a coordinated federal response to the challenges confronted by women and girls and to ensure that all Cabinet and Cabinet-level agencies consider how their policies and programs impact women and families." Its goals include improving women's economic security and healthcare, and preventing violence against women - both home and abroad. The full text of the executive order can be found here.

March is the month we celebrate the contributions of many hard working women throughout history.  You can find profiles of many fascinating women on our Women's History Month page.

On this day (February 19) in 1963, Betty Friedan published The Feminine Mystique, a call for   women to achieve their full potential. Her book generated an enormous response and revitalized the women's movement in the U.S.