A delegation of directors of provincial-level libraries in China attended the ALA Annual Conference after spending 10 days at a training program at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign's Mortenson Center. They're taking part in a continuing professional education program covering library management, public services, and digital library development. Following the conference they'll be traveling … Continue reading From China to Chicago
"I am a library slut," admitted mystery author Lisa Scottoline. "That means I will go to any library that will have me," to give thanks to librarians, who changed the direction of her life. Scottoline, an Edgar Award-winner for her 1994 novel Final Appeal (HarperTorch), ebulliently told her Monday-morning Auditorium Speaker Series audience that she … Continue reading Lisa Scottoline: Confessions of a Library Slut
To my way of thinking, Tracy Kidder is a famous author—who's not famous enough. I haven't read all his books (and I do intend to), but House remains for me the right book at the right time. In 1985, this true story of the construction of a home in Massachusetts hit me just as I … Continue reading Chatting with Tracy Kidder
As my final bit of Annual coverage (though with other AL staffers also blogging, a few more stories may be forthcoming), I'd like to share my now-traditional review of relevant—and wholly irrelevant—quotes. “We have everything Strom Thurmond ever owned, including his pajamas.” – Emily Gore, Clemson University Libraries head of digital initiatives, discussing the library’s … Continue reading Heard and Overheard at Annual
Steve Lopez, Los Angeles Times columnist and author of The Soloist, told the Closing Session crowd how he met Nathaniel Anthony Ayers, and how their relationship grew and the story developed into the book. "The deal with writing a column is, it's like having a pet monster that's always hungry," Lopez said. "You have to … Continue reading The Story Behind The Soloist
A packed meeting room awaited a panel of techie librarians to address the question of whether Library 2.0 has lived up to its promise at July 14 LITA and the Internet Resources Services Interest Group session "The Ultimate Debate: Has Library 2.0 fulfilled its promise?" The panel couldn't exactly agree on what Library 2.0 was, … Continue reading Lib1.0 Committee Still Out on Lib2.0 Promise
“From Legacy Data to Linked Data: Preparing Libraries for Web 3.0,” drew enough of an audience that some had to listen from the hallway. Data objects and agents already have identifiers, explained Diane Hillmann of the Information Institute of Syracuse and Metadata Management Associates. In linked data, however, relationships between data also have identifiers. That … Continue reading Data Power through Data Linking
Cokie Roberts discussed the writing and updating of her book We Are Our Mother’s Daughters, and her research into the roles of women throughout American history for it, before a crowd of about 700 at the PLA President’s Program. “I, of course, use libraries all the time in doing research on these history books,” Roberts … Continue reading Cokie Roberts Examines Changing – and Unchanging – Roles of Women
Sunday morning’s PR Forum featured a panel of five experts who offered tips and tactics that will help libraries get their stories told through both new and traditional media. The program was sponsored by the PR Assembly of the ALA Public Awareness, supported by ALA Public Information Office staff. George Eberhart, Kevin Kirkpatrick, Tom McNamee, … Continue reading How libraries can work with the media
Comic books have finally won their long battle for legitimacy, affirmed Charles Brownstein, opening a program on censorship and graphic novels sponsored by ALA’s Intellectual Freedom Committee. Noting that every library that matters now collects graphic novels and material that was once condemned is now lauded, Brownstein—executive director of the Comic Book Legal Defense Fund, … Continue reading When Graphic Novels Get Too Graphic
Some 525 librarians and library supporters—a virtual who’s who of librarianship—spent yesterday evening in the new wing of the Art Institute of Chicago, entralled by its splendor and by the speakers who gathered to help the Freedom to Read Foundation celebrate its 40th anniversary and pay tribute to its founder, Judith Krug, who died April … Continue reading Freedom to Read Foundation Celebrates 40 Years and the Life of Judith Krug
To my way of thinking, Tracy Kidder is a famous author—who’s not famous enough. I haven’t read all his books (and I do intend to), but House remains for me the right book at the right time. In 1985, this true story of the construction of a home in Massachusetts hit me just as I … Continue reading Chatting with Tracy Kidder
