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Saturday June 24, 2006
Morning Walk
Slow start today, nothing planned until the membership Meeting at 4. At 9:30 I walked over
to the French Quarter. This time I went through the garden and over into the Cathedral. Its
a beautiful place, the stained glass windows, the ceiling mural... a few minutes of quiet
contemplation sitting in a wooden pew was worth having. There were a couple weddings planned
there today and when I was walking around about 20 minutes later I saw a bride in her full
white gown and all her bridesmaids walking the couple blocks to the church.
After I left there I found another special building, the Librairie Bookshop on Chartres
Street. Just a small used bookstore, I hadn't been in one for a while and it was nice to
see all the old books compared to homogenized libraries have become. They had a general filing
system, history, biography, so on. But I came across one section labeled "Old, interesting,
& Leather" which I just thought was great! I mentioned it to the older woman working at the
counter and she told me of one I had missed, "True Crime & Rascality". Priceless. I bought
a collection of essays called "Books and Things by someone named Littell. He had one on
Anna Karenina which is an old favorite. I also got "Scribble, Scribble: Notes on the Media"
by Nora Ephron, originally published in 1975, I got a paperback, there was a hardcover but
I just didn't want to start spending too much on books again. I had to break that habit
a while ago.
I walked around mostly after that. Took a short glimpse of Bourbon street. More tourists this
time around but still pretty quiet. The area seems to be almost entirely bars, racy t-shirt
stores, and art galleries. An interesting mix of the appealing and unappealing plus the
occasional whiff of horse.
I picked up the famous muffuletta at the Central Grocery Co. I got a whole one and had half
for lunch and half for supper. Its a potent sandwich and after the first quarter I scraped
all the olives off. I was thinking it was more along the lines of a sandwich spread but its
chunks of olives with olive oil. I'd rather have a burger.
Membership Meeting
When it first started there wasn't even a quorum (75 members for a quorum, over 10,000
conference attendees), but more trickled in as it
went along. There were no resolutions on the agenda so it was mainly just Keith Fiels discussing
the dues increase and the 2010 plan. Fine by me, in cases like these boring is a good sign.
Keith talked about future goals involving the dues increase, one neat idea was a magazine
that would be free for library patrons highlighting what libraries are doing around the country.
2 red flags came up when he talked about a 'diversity webcourse', not sure what that is
supposed to be, and he also talked about recommending an annual round of internal grants for
$250,000 to help ALA be more 'nimble' and react faster to various issues. The money is going
to go to those who are into red tape and like coming up with pseudo-projects to spend other
people's money. If that ain't the socialists then there's snowdrifts in the French Quarter.
Opening Session
The big opening session with Albright speaking involved a lot of pomp beforehand, mostly
interesting. Pres. Gorman opened it up and while talking about ALA said approximately the
following:
"We represent every size and type of Library in the United States and countries around
the world"
Except of course for those pesky independent librarians down in Cuba.
There was a film highlighting various moments of ALA in the news and then a large focus on
Katrina activities. Then there was a welcoming video message from Wynton Marsalis which was
very classy. He made a nice comparison between words and notes, books and music. Go buy
one of his CDs.
Apparently the Dollar
General is setting up a million dollar fund to help school libraries in states where DG
exists that have suffered from natural disasters.
Both Mayor Nagin and Lt. Governor Landriew spoke. I'll give Nagin props for being honest, he
literally said 'loosen your belts, don't worry about the diets, spend lots of money'.
An honorary membership was given to a Prof. Stueart who taught at Simmons in Mass. And
the Freedom To Read Foundation gave an award to Carolyn Caywood who, among other things,
testified before Congress concerning the Children's Internet Protection Act. I won't comment
on that.
Madeleine Albright
In a case of bad timing Albright had come partially on stage when Keith Fiels had just
started introducing her. Everyone applauded and she was sort of obligated to come up to
the podium while Keith was still reading a very long introduction that covered her entire
resume. It was an epsiode of "This Is Your Life!" and I felt bad for Keith, though I did
laugh quietly.
She's known for her pins so I made note and it seemed to be a pair of glasses with something,
I'm going to assume a book, dangling below it.
She talked some about libraries. Her 4 points on libraries were that they were fun; educational;
a bargain; and a laboratory of freedom. I certainly cannot argue with 1-3 but I always thought
the U.S. of A. was the laboratory of freedom. (I'm beginning to think librarians need a serious
slice of humble pie)
She went on about freedom in the rest of the world, the soviet experience, dictatorships,
and then into Cuba. Detailing both the atrocities there and what ALA had done about
them. I was praying for a Codrescu moment but no such luck. While she praised the independent
librarians, apparently ALA had done enough. And while there was dead silence she said
all this there was a huge eruption when she said that what was "preached abroad should be
practiced at home." And moral equivalence became the theme for the evening.
From there she began discussing her new book "The
Mighty and the Almighty". I don't even know
where to begin. NRO could probably have a
field day with it but to me it was a lot of
gobbledy gook. She talked about religion in world history in a very unflattering light and
then went on to say that we "should make religion a force for reconciliation". She
said that "certainty is not part of the human condition", that we should accept that "we do
not know it all". And then she says that morality needs to be at the heart of foreign policy.
Can you have morality without a modicum of certainty? She also knocked Bush for being
too
free about espousing democracy, some point about being more pragmatic. But she also said there
needed to be more universal norms and that we had to promote democracy. It was just back
and forth, back and forth. Nothing solid except that there is a new Axis of Evil: poverty,
ignorance, and disease. Well, so? How did you want to solve it? She forgot to
tell us.
Other stuff
Its late, maybe I'll talk about vendors later. Met some old friends, made a new one or two,
good day. The first Council meeting is tomorrow morning. yeehaw.
Friday June 23, 2006
As you can see by the previous post I did go to the Executive Board meeting, obviously
I'm glad I did. I got there early and it turned out that the first half hour was closed
session. They lawyer up and talk legal stuff. Also good because it gave me time to read
through the many handouts these meetings create.
When the open meeting started again President Gorman give a brief overview of what was
talked about, some lawsuits for and against, they chose to ignore the infamous "Don't
Read" campaign (smart move there), they also discussed actions against people who infringe
on ALA Ethics (nothing to do with me I checked), there was also a bit on whether ALA could
be liable for personal opinions expressed on listservs it creates (it isn't and I'm pretty
sure I had something to do with that one
I always like Exec meetings because its the heart of a many headed-beast and everything
passes through it.
The Washington Office gave a report on its activities, the list is long and boring but
there is something new there I hadn't come across yet:
CALEA.
There's a policy brief at the bottom that's very informative and easy to print and look
through. It seems to have to do with law enforcement's ability to tap phone calls and how
digital phone access over the internet affects that. Go to page 3 of the handout and read
"Are Libraries Covered by the FCC Order?" I'd say a lot of us are worry free for now but
it could be a resource problem in the future.
There was some talk about
COPE,
Council on Professional Ethics, which is funny considering
this story. Read the
comments, when mdoneil is on he's on.
Neat help
guide on getting support for small libraries. (ALA isn't all bad, just full of
idiots)
Bit of irony, Exec. Councilor Michael Gorelick announced that a Boy Scout troop road
their bikes from Memphis to here in New Orleans and will present a check tomorrow to Pres.
Gorman for $3,000 for ALA and Katrina relief. Ha! Awful people those Boy Scouts.
Had lunch at Cento & Fantini in the Riverwalk Food Court. Italian place, makes pizzas and
calzones. I can't eat there again cause I won't fit in the plane to go home.
The reason I went to the Executive Board meeting is because the Intellectual Freedom Round
Table (IFRT) was meeting at 1:30, it was the Intellectual Freedom Committee that was
meeting in the morning. As I said, its a many-headed beast.
This meeting was more informal and everyone introduced themselves around the table. I
introduced myself as an IFRT member. I am and I didn't want to get more complicated then
that. I sat and watched and didn't participate. Technically I could but it would be under
a false pre-tense and I didn't want to do that. I don't even like the term "intellectual
freedom" it has very little meaning and is basically shouted, along with 'Free Speech', as
some sort of voodoo spell that is supposed instill a auto-zombie response in liberals.
Anyways, not a whole lot happening here. The theme for the IFRT program next year was
announced: Intellectual Freedom in a Time of "War". The quotes are intentional and was
supported by the group. The subject matter will be, apparently, embedded journalists.
There will, at least, be a historical look at it. The suggestion of having military
librarians there was met with some support and some attempted to sideline it by focusing
on government librarians in general.
They were supposed to talk about the upcoming resolution on Cuba but they tabled it until
Monday to "see how the politics played out". A brave group. See
Freadom's updated page on
Cuba's Book Burning.
The Exec Board is asking all the many heads to review the Campaign for American
Libraries and whether any changes should be made. Many said it was too general and fluff. One said
that it should be tied to ALA's strength which was the 'radical militant librarians' theme.
Many agreed, librarians as "Freedom Fighters". This is why I chose not to get involved, it
would have gotten ugly.
There was a little chit chat about Laura Bush speaking and the protests planned. No one
said anything specific but examples were given like standing and turning their backs while
she talked.
There's going to be some kind of resolution coming up, not by this group, but calling for
libraries to keep minimal patron information. Typical fear mongering stuff. Amazon?
Netflix? Hello? Customer service? Ugh.
That's about it. I maybe made a friend, maybe two cause one guy came up to me and said he
had read my site and described it as "Challenging." I can live with that.
That may be hyperbole. Read. Decide. Let me know.
On the Executive Board agenda was a report (EBD #6.5) from the Developmental Office
concerning a list of "socially responsible prospects."
Not long ago ALA instituted a pilot project, setting aside some of its financial
investments for SRI, socially responsible investments. Its a pilot project because even ALA knows they can't
afford to invest badly. At the time I took that to mean investing in 'green' companies, low or non-polluters,
that sort of thing. I didn't agree with it because I had doubts about exactly how that
sort of thing was decided
but it wasn't a priority issue. Apparently I should have taken a closer look because SRI means so much more.
At present ALA relies on TIAA CREF
and Domini and their portfolios for SRI. Domini's general criteria for SRI is as
follows:
I suppose I should have added that ALA opposes a separation
of church and state based on
the first two criteria. I consider the third to be anti-science and anti-progress. But the fourth?! Simply
amazing.
ALA gets a lot of federal government (taxpayer) money. The libraries and librarians that
physically and financially keep ALA running also get federal (taxpayer), state (taxpayer), and local government
(taxpayer) money. But ALA does not want to invest (even if its profitable) in companies that make bulletproof
vests, helmets, or any of the gear that makes a soldier safe (police too!). Nor do they support a citizens right
to bear arms.
In the beginning I said the Executive Board was looking at a list of "socially responsible
prospects." The list is not about investing in companies but about approaching companies to invest in libraries.
The list is culled from the same portfolios they invest in. So ALA doesn't even want libraries to associate, be
seen with, or maybe actually get funding from companies that assist soldiers and support the 2nd Amendment.
ALA: Anti-Troops. Anti-2nd Amendment. Anti-American. What say you?
Thursday June 22, 2006
Flew in around 1pm and checked in to my hotel. I had zero trouble getting a cab but the
real influx starts tomorrow.
I walked down to the convention center through the Riverwalk, which is all indoors and
isn't as pretty as San Antonio. Some cool shops, its tough to say but maybe about 50-60% are open. Which is tough
because it is a nice area and there were tourists around, everything is just not 'there' yet. The
Wyndham, where
I'm staying, has a shopping area and there are some big signs up for fancy stores opening later this year. It
will probably be a subdued convention but think of it as first gear for New Orleans, it will probably take a
more steady flow of conventions and tourists to get up to speed. (I don't drive stick, I don't know what gear
that is)
By the way its true, its not the heat, its the humidity. The air is in solid form down
here. I came back and crashed for a few hours. Then I walked down Decatur street in the French Quarter. I'm
not a good tourist, I don't plan ahead. I just scoped it out. Its an old city, it looks like some kind of antique,
in a good way. The cathedral is closed (I don't know if that was permanent or just off hours) but the money spot
is across the street where you go up on a bridge and get a full view with the horse and carriages and cathedral on
one side, river on the other. Its a good date city. Again though, for now, a lot of stuff still closed,
everything seems subdued.
I had BBQ shrimp at Lander's, good but lotta butta.
Other notes:
Malkin's story had a little
leg, Howard
Kurtz's mentioned it in his Media Notes today. A thank you to the nice emails from old friends and new
friends, and to new friends "Thanks for stopping by!"
Rosy is playing victim because he got some nasty emails (be nice people) and of course
he's getting sympathy. Important point here, Rosenzweig is an easy target, but he's not the
only twit on the
Tomorrow I'm either going to the Executive Council Meeting or the Intellectual Freedom
Round Table. The Exec would be fun just because, and it does tend to be more informative than the regular Council
meetings, productive too. But I've done them and I will go to at least one anyway. So I'm leaning toward the
round table.
Talk to you later.
Wednesday June 21, 2006
Wow. Figures all hell would break loose and I'm in the middle of getting ready
for conference. None other than Michelle Malkin has written an article based on the emails I posted.
Coolness or what? Here's the companion post on her site.
Heads-Up: some of you have emailed the Councilors listed. Be nice. They're not
all insane. Partially maybe, but not
completely.
Okay. See you in New Orleans.
Tuesday June 20, 2006
Right-Wing Librarian responds to those emails I listed. I was hoping to
list a bunch more (there are plenty!). Time is short though, sorry. Got to pack!
Woof. I went to the ALA
convention page and saw that Cokie Roberts
was going to be the featured in the closing session. Before I clicked on the link I was thinking of
Katie Couric. Close one.
Should anyone want to look me up: I will be at the Wyndam Hotel from Thursday
til next Wednesday. I will definitely be at the ALA Membership Meetings: 6/24 4pm and 6/26 11:30am, both are
at the Morial Convention Center, Room La Nouvelle Orleans BR, both are scheduled for an hour.
I'll also be at the Council meetings in the same room: 6/25 10:45-12:15, 6/27
9:15-12:45, and for at least part of 6/28 8am-12:30pm.
I'm telling you right now, if you read this site and
you're going to ALA then you
need to go to the Membership Meetings. You don't have to introduce yourself to me, you don't have to get up and
say your a conservative, you don't have to be a conservative. But if your reading this and you go all the way
to NOLA, you'd better go to at least one of the meetings (one is on a Monday, I get that). Otherwise, stop
reading this site cause your wasting your time. Sorry to sound negative but there are too many people who
'don't want to get involved'. You need to get involved.
On a more positive note I do plan on having computer access there so I hope to be more diligent in
typing up my notes (something I've been horrible at). And hopefully I'll even get them posted online while
I'm there.
Sunday June 18, 2006
A child's library should be open to any and all ideas up until those ideas can
cause harm. I haven't seen the
book
in question so I personally don't know if
it should have been pulled or
not. But if it is found to be painting a communist country in an all-too pleasant light then that's not
okay. This book is meant for grades 2-4. If you want to debate the merits of communism by all means go to
college, do the drug scene, and try and come up with all the ways that a complete lack of freedom is
beneficial to society. It is not open to debate with 2nd, 3rd, and 4th graders. Communism is bad. We fought a
long war over it covering Korea, Vietnam, Afghanistan, and many other 3rd world countries including Cuba.
Supposedly we won. So Communism is bad. One of the spoils of victory is we get to say
that to little kids who need
to know stuff like this. Say it with me: Communism is bad. Democracy is good. USA rocks.
So I disagree with
my fellow librarians in arms
on this point (Kent of Friends of Cuban Libraries has also sent out notices arguing against pulling the
book). Toss it and may Castro choke on it.
Well, it has finally come to the Council's attention that the
First Lady will be at the American Library Association's annual conference in New Orleans. Here are the
first, and only so far, 15 emails on the topic. Draw your
own conclusions...
I must, with the weariness and frustration that accompanies the anticipated yet still painful,
hereby protest that this event turns our conference into a grand political photo-op for the
administration of President George W. Bush, whose administration bears such a heavy responsibility
for, among other things of which I will remind you, the debacle of the response to hurrican Katrina and
for its on-going aftermath.
Mrs. Bush is anachronistically called the "First Lady", with the fake gentility which is the hallmark of our
provincial cult of the Presidency, but what she is, in politcal fact, regardless of her surfeit of -- to me --
rather cloying charm and her much publicized attachment to libraries as the no-political-downside way
of demonstrating Bush Administration largesse, is the First Supporter of President Bush and one his
most valuable public relations assets.
She is being deployed at ouir conference in New Orleans at a crucial time in the national political cycle,
when Bush & Co. have "approval ratings" at an all time low, while his party is trying to maintain its
congressional stranglehold through upcoming mid-term elections.
Yes, Laura Bush "likes libraries". She once worked at one, briefly, before she married Dubya. Her
chosen "First Lady philanthropic effort " -- always de rigeur for the wives of Presidents, -- has been
American libraries and she has the power to give away a good deal of prize money to libraries on a
political "as-needed" basis. Good PR for the Administration. Good for some libraries whose plight falls
under her gaze.
On the other hand, she supports virtually every policy of her husband's administration -- tax cuts for the
rich, the dsestruction of social security and Medicare, the privatization of public lands, the hand-outs to
corporations , the support for the plundering by Big Oil, the covering for the abuses of the
pharamceutical industry, the invasion and occupation of Iraq (and the lies that were told to enable it), the
blockade of Cuba and the threats to Latin America, the nuclear sabre-rattling, the USAPAtriot Act,
covert domestic surveillance, the attacks on the Bill of Rights and the entire Constitution, the flaunting of
international law, and, let's not forget, "Gitmo" and Abu Ghraib and Haditha.
When you see her smiling demurely on the platform that we have provided for her and basking in the
standing ovation Americans love to give to celebrities, know too that the smirking faces of Bush and
Cheney and Rumsfield are up there too, and that every clap of the hands and whistle and whoop are
taken by them -- and by the media who will witness this -- as endorsement of their policies and their
administation.
Mark Rosenzweig
I just now looked at the program announcement and saw this twice (emphasis mine):
Mrs. Laura Bush
What does (INVITED) mean? Aren't all speakers, in essence invited? Also, I see that the doors will be
closed at 12:30 with no one allowed in after the program has started. Is this standard practice for
programs? Thanks for any clarificaiton.
Rochelle Hartman
As I watch the first of the responses to Laura Bush's invitation hit the mailbox, it occurs to me that this
business of speakers is manipulated so as to incite these responses, and further interest in the
programs themselves. This will only be possible to accomplish until it becomes obvious to the
membership--perhaps in a decade or so. Meanwhile, the search for controversial figures continues:
Henry Kissinger may be available, but we've got to get so some of the older ones before they die out.
Remember: the only thing better than a friend of the library is an enemy; in Laura Bush we may have
both. Whoever figures these things out understands the librarian mind perfectly.
M. McGrorty
As someone who has been fighting a losing battle in my local school district for many years I was very
interested in this program. I was going to try to find some time to at least attend part of the program.
NOW I will not be attending. The first reason is that I really don't think Laura Bush has a clue about the
need for school libraries and the struggles we are having in our communities to get school
administrators to fund school libraries. The second reason is that I now can't go because "no one will
be able to enter after 12:30 pm." I actually think that this is unprecedented and goes against our open
meetings policy (if not in actuality then in the spirit or intent of the policy).
--
Diedre Conkling
Lincoln County Library District
Deidre, I'm not yet back on Council (will be, at the end of conference,
so cannot post).
My husband and I are now at the National Institutes of Health; we came
in 2001, so I do not know practice in previous administrations, nor
prior to Sept 11 2001. But at least at NIH, when the President is
appearing on campus, the venue is swept a day or two in advance, and
everyone must be in place (after screening) several hours before the
event is to start.
You're welcome to pass this along if it is of any use (but don't feel
obliged)
Pam
Pamela C. Sieving, MA, MS
Yes, I personally am very aware of this kind of procedure. I just don't think it follows ALA policy.
--
Diedre Conkling
Lincoln County Library District
Pam Sieving asks: "Can we ask that the event be telecast or some such, for those unable to get into the
room?" I second the question. ;-)
--
Diedre Conkling
Lincoln County Library District
I think "invited" means that she has been invited but hasn't necessarily confirmed the invitation. Does
someone know if she's in fact going to be there?
Rory
Ruth Gordon asks: Will there be a Q & A period after Laura Bush's speech/talk?
(Yes, I am substituting today out in a small rural library which has had very few patrons today. I could
be working on blogs or other things but, instead, I am sending you messages. The library closes at
3:00 p.m. so maybe I will go see a movie later, or mow the lawn since I can't mow next weekend.)
--
Diedre Conkling
Lincoln County Library District
First of all, I would like to know who invited her. Second, I want to know if there will plenty of opportunity
for questions from the floor. If there will not be questions from the floor, we should vigorously protest.
Al Kagan
tel. 217-333-6519
On the other hand, maybe they chose well known names that would attract a large crowd. One year
they had Fred Rogers and it was a sold out crowd.
Nancy
Nancy Bolt
I’m sure the bit about not letting people in after 12:30 has to do with security and is probably required by
Mrs. Bush’s security detail. I’ve experienced that with other top officials (a Princess in Thailand, another
in England).
Nancy
Nancy Bolt
I bet we could get a good crowd for Augusto Pinochet.
Al Kagan
tel. 217-333-6519
Yes ,understandably the First Lady must be protected from the dangers of late-arriving librrarans!
This is surely a violation, however, of our Open Meeting Policy.
Mark C. Rosenzweig
Let me offer some perspective on how we should handle speeches by high govt officials. I am a member
of the African Studies Association and have been going to these annual meetings for many years. There
was a time when the Association regularly invited the Under Secretary of State for African Affairs or
someone in that office to address a plenary session with lots of time for Q & A from microphones set up
throughout the hall. I used to look forward to these events because there were always many tough
questions that harshly criticized the policies of whatever Administration was then in office. The officials
did have to respond. This has not happened in quite a few years now. I don't think the Bush
Administrations wanted to appear with this kind of program format.
I am in favor of bringing in officials to make remarks and then take questions freely asked from the floor
for a significant amount of time. This can be considered trying to hold officials accountable for their
actions. I am not in favor of giving high officials a chance to speak without this kind of interaction. I am
not in favor of what happened at the Obama event a couple of years ago. Remember that we had the
chance to send it questions on small cards. Only a few questions were asked, and no hard questions
came out of that procedure for whatever reason.
In my view, if Laura Bush is to appear, it should be on her own without the rest of the program. We
should be able to freely question her after her speech. I would like to get a response from the organizers
of the program.
Al Kagan
Al Kagan
tel. 217-333-6519
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). There was no formal handout on this so I apologize in advance for any off details.