Technology, literacy, privacy and advocacy key issues at ALA Annual Conference
Contact: Macey Morales
Manager, ALA PIO Media Relations
(312) 280-4393
mmorales@ala.org
NEWS
For Immediate Release
July 2, 2008
Technology, literacy, privacy and advocacy key issues at ALA Annual Conference
According to
final figures, 22,047 librarians and library staff, exhibitors and library
supporters attended the ALA Annual Conference, held at the
Of the 22,047, 5,752 were exhibitors (4,019 who registered in advance and 1,733 on-site), while 16,295 were attendees (11,514 registered in advance, 4,781 on-site.)
"This is
the first time
More than 300 educational programs and 2,000 committee meetings and events were held in the following categories: Authors, Literature and Cultural Programming, Administration and Leadership, Children and Young Adults, Research, Career Paths and Professional Development, Collection Management and Technical Services, Digital Information and Technologies Issues and Updates, User Services and Transformation and Innovations.
Information privacy was discussed on Sunday at the panel discussion, “Privacy: Is it Time for a Revolution?” Among the panelists was Cory Doctorow, boingboing blogger and acclaimed science fiction writer who says we should treat personal electronic data with the same care and respect as weapons-grade plutonium because it is dangerous, long-lasting and, once it has been leaked, there is no getting it back.
“Recently, heavy
users of digital media – bloggers, social media experts and online journalists
– are calling for Americans to recommit to privacy before we dive deeper into
the information age. We think librarians are poised to lead the charge,” said
Judith Krug, director of the
“What happens to one type of library affects all of us,” Rettig said. “Library communities around the country need to speak with a unified voice, ready to advocate for all libraries.”
Attendees at the conference were able to make their voices heard on Tuesday, July 1, by taking part in Virtual Library Day on the Hill, by faxing and e-mailing members of Congress regarding important library issues. Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, the basketball legend who is also honorary chair of Library Card Sign-up Month in September, attended and wrote his members of Congress on the importance of library funding.
At a
pre-conference hosted by the Office for Library Advocacy, library advocates
heard the dynamic “Spokane Moms,” the leaders of a grassroots effort on
behalf of school libraries in
The Spokane Moms, Lisa Layera Brunkan, Denette Hill and Susan McBurney, also received the 2007 Crystal Apple Award from American Association of School Librarians (AASL) President Sara Kelly Johns. Johns cited them for their “dedication to strong school library media programs and equal access to the 21st-Century skills for all students.”
On Saturday,
June 28, the
The challenge of attracting a diverse corps of library workers was examined at “An Endangered Species: The Black Male Librarian,” sponsored by the Black Caucus of the American Library Association. In 2000, according to the program notes, only 3 percent of credentialed librarians were African-American males.
Principles and
practices for effective multicultural communication was the focus of Sunday’s
PR Forum, sponsored by the PR Assembly and the Campaign for
The
The next day, at the
Verizon Foundation President Patrick Gaston said, “Gaming for learning presents a tremendous opportunity for libraries to further literacy skills in children as well as adults.”
Attendees had the chance to hear many speakers: radio and Internet host Ron Reagan; actress/author Jamie Lee Curtis; civil rights leader Vernon E. Jordan Jr.; television producer Stephen J. Cannell; astronaut Sally Ride – the first American woman to travel into space - and research partner Tam O’Shaughnessy; Dr. T. Berry Brazelton; and authors Greg Mortenson, Dean Koontz and Khaled Hosseini.
Reagan, the son of the
40th president of the
Reagan analyzed
the presidential campaign and offered his insights into the character and style
of the leading candidates as well as his thoughts about the Bush
administration’s execution of the war in
Hundreds of conference attendees were entertained on Sunday, June 30, at the Book Cart Drill Team World Championship, sponsored by DEMCO. News coverage of the event was extensive with television stations throughout the country running footage from the competition.
Sunday’s ALA
President’s Program included a claymation animation program presented by Roy
Boney Jr., Cherokee Illustrator, graphic novelist, and animator, as well as a
Prairie Band Potawatomi Nation Fellow,
On Monday, actress and author Jamie Lee Curtis delivered the keynote address at the Public Library Association President’s Program and Awards Presentation. That day, Curtis, an author of children’s books, read from one of her books to a gathering of children.
Also on Monday, the Office for Literacy and Outreach Services organized the American Dream Starts @ your library, which showcased libraries from throughout the country and their collections that have been developed to meet the literacy needs of new immigrants. Funding for the grant program was provided by the Dollar General Foundation.
The conference closed on Tuesday, with an address delivered by Oscar nominee Diahann Carroll, the first African-American actress in television history to star in her own series, “Julia.”
Exhibiting companies featured the latest in books, videos, computers and other materials vital to today's libraries, librarians and patrons.
For more detailed
information on Annual Conference events, please visit
For more
information on the
