John Hope Franklin died March 25 at the age of 94. The Associated Press called him "a towering scholar and pioneer of African-American studies who wrote the seminal text on the black experience in the U.S. and worked on the landmark Supreme Court case that outlawed public school segregation." He lived a remarkable life. His name … Continue reading The Passing of John Hope Franklin
Unit Managers heard it this morning for the first time as a group, when ALA Executive Director Keith Michael Fiels announced that the Association would attempt to close a projected $1.6 million shortfall in the $27 million FY2009 general-fund budget by, among other things, eliminating 10 staff positions and imposing a three-day payless furlough and other vacation … Continue reading $1.6-Million Shortfall Forces ALA Staff Cuts, Furloughs
Kate DiCamillo, author of The Tale of Despereaux and Because of Winn-Dixie, sat down with Booklist’s Ilene Cooper to talk about seeing her creations become major motion pictures, the surreal moments that came along with the Despereaux phenomenon, and her latest projects. Also, there’s tons of laughing.
In this overview of the 2009 Association of College and Research Libraries National Conference, keynoter Sherman Alexie discusses a terminology conundrum, Mary K. Van Ullen explains the effect of cultural differences on teaching about plagiarism, Diane Dallis describes Indiana University’s planned research commons, and keynoter Ira Glass demonstrates how This American Life uses music to … Continue reading 2009 ACRL National Conference
Closing keynoter Ira Glass made his debut Sunday morning in complete darkness for a few minutes to demonstrate the intimacy and impact of radio. Thirteen years ago, the host and producer of NPR's This American Life figured out that he felt most comfortable giving public lectures in a studio setting, so he came equipped with … Continue reading Ira Glass and the structure of storytelling
One fun panel presentation ("If Fish Markets Can Do It So Can We") involved the first competitive fish toss in ACRL history. Unlike the huge salmon and halibut that the fishmongers at Seattle's Pike Place Fish Market throw around at each other (and sometimes at unsuspecting customers), these were plush fish toys that four hardy volunteers … Continue reading ACRL’s First Fish Toss
Robin Chase, cofounder and former CEO of the car-sharing company Zipcar, was described in 2007 by Business Week's Helen Walters as a transportation design visionary, and she is still hard at work challenging groups and individuals to confront the reality of global climate change. As ACRL's invited green speaker, Chase knew her audience on Sunday … Continue reading Fabulosity in the Room
In 2009, ACRL conference planners set a precedent that will be difficult for ALA members and staff to ignore. As the most eco-friendly major event ever held by an ALA division, ACRL's 14th National Conference, March 12-15, may well serve as a model to follow for other units and ALA itself. Two of the most prominent green … Continue reading The Greening of ACRL
ACRL's Friday afternoon keynote was given by the popular Seattle poet, novelist, humorist, and filmmaker Sherman Alexie, a Spokane/Coeur d’Alene Indian whom The New Yorker described as one of the top 20 writers of our country. Alexie is also an accomplished speaker and knows how to please a crowd, even one composed of academics. His opening … Continue reading Confessions of an Ambiguously Ethnic Indian
The ACRL exhibit floor is usually a no-nonsense affair. Rarely do you see Elvis impersonators or talking robots, and giant fuzzy characters from kid lit are nowhere to be seen. However, when I heard that Alexander Street Press was holding a 1960s-style sit-in to celebrate the launch of its new online multimedia collection, I decided … Continue reading Peace and Love and Multimedia
ACRL's 14th National Conference in Seattle is the greenest in ALA history, as organizers were quick to remind everyone. The meeting opened with an ecological bang March 12, as attendees picked up their recycled conference bags (furnished by EBSCO) containing a beverage mug (furnished by Innovative Interfaces) made from 100% corn plastic, and a shower … Continue reading Klein Declines, but Kidder Gets Serious
ALA Presidential Candidate Roberta Stevens responds to Karen Schneider’s question on enforcing ALA policy on GLBT rights. More ALA videos available at alfocus.ala.org. Question: Karen Schneider: Hi, Im Karen Schneider. I blog at freerangelibrarian.com. Ive been an ALA member since 1992. I served on ALA Council three times. And Ive served on numerous task forces, … Continue reading ALA Presidential Candidate Question Responses: Stevens on GLBT Employment Rights
