LIBRARY LOUNGE

I know I am just a lowly, dues paying member of ALA who is not actively involved in any committees etc., but I still think I have the right to wonder and question why ALA has not officially condemned Cuba for its actions against Librarians and its book burnings. I read the heated debates about ALA’s responsibility in condemning the War in Iraq and it makes me angry that my professional organization is spending much time and effort on a topic that has little to do with the freedom to read while ignoring or refusing to get in involved in what is happening in Cuba which is in fact directly related to the freedom to read.

Mr. Hentoff has written another commentary criticizing the leadership of ALA and reinforcing the importance of libraries in America. ALA deserves this criticism and I am going to continue to support the librarians of Cuba.

Sweet Land of Liberty by Nat Hentoff

Mindy

I just had the chance to hear Mary Baykan, director of Maryland’s Washington County Free Library, executive director of the Western Maryland Public Libraries, and Library Journal’s Librarian of the Year for 2007, keynote address from the PLA Spring Symposium. You can find it here at the PLA Blog. It is well worth the time to listen to.

When I was setting up our social networking contest I spent a lot of time trying to decide what to put in and what to leave out. It was a difficult - there are literally thousands of choices I could have made. One that I put in and then later took out was Second Life. It was not that I didn’t think Second Life (and sites like it), weren’t important, it was just that I thought other sites would be more beneficial. I know that some of you may already belong to Second Life and enjoy it. My request is that if you are active in Second Life please let us know what you participate in and enjoy and if you have time check out the Libraries and let us know what you find. Thanks! Mindy

“WASHINGTON - The American Library Association (ALA) is proud to announce that it now has a space in Second Life, the online community of more than one million users and home to a growing number of library organizations.

According to Jenny Levine, ALA Internet Development Specialist and Strategy Guide, ALA will have one half of ALA/Arts Island, which will be utilized as a new method for disseminating ALA news and information. It will also be used for reaching out to new audiences, holding events, interacting with members and the public, and exploring the future of library services. The half-island was given to ALA by an anonymous donor.” Read the rest of the article here.