RALEIGH–The Department of Cultural Resources announced Friday that district and state competitions of the Public Library Quiz Bowl program will be discontinued.

This decision follows the State Library Commission’s 2005 recommendation to end the Public Library Quiz Bowl program. The commission’s recommendation noted a lack of resources and raised concerns about the program’s relationship to the public library community.

On Jan. 26, 2006, the department announced that the State Library of North Carolina’s sponsorship of the Public Library Quiz Bowl program would continue in the 2006-07 school year while the department explored long-term solutions for the resolution of several program issues.

During this year, the department has thoughtfully explored all options and has determined it best to accept the commission’s recommendation and discontinue the State Library’s sponsorship of the quiz bowl.

Any group wishing to continue the program in its community in future years may contact the State Library for access to the database of questions used in previous years’ competitions.

For additional information, contact Fay Mitchell Henderson at (919) 807-7389 or e-mail fay.henderson@ncmail.net.

The State Library is a division of the N.C. Department of Cultural Resources, a state agency dedicated to the promotion and protection of North Carolina’s arts, history and culture.

For more information about the Department of Cultural Resources, visit http://www.ncculture.com.