Michael Gorman recounts his library life in new memoir

CHICAGO — From his earliest reading memories in wartime Britain through five decades of librarianship, eminent librarian and former ALA President Michael Gorman offers insights from his extraordinary career in “Broken Pieces: A Library Life, 1941-1978,” published by ALA Editions. Gorman relates his personal and professional journey in prose that is by turns charming, opinioned and revealing. He made perhaps his most significant contribution to librarianship as editor of the 1978 Anglo-American Cataloguing Rules, a major development that receives detailed attention here. The debates and arguments that would shape professional practice for years to come are dramatically presented, with a vivid cast of characters including leading librarians from two continents. “Broken Pieces” is Gorman’s account of being on the front lines of many important decisions made in librarianship during his career.

Gorman was president of ALA in 2005-2006 after serving as a member of ALA Council (1991-1995 and 2002-2006) and the ALA Executive Board through 2007. He was made a fellow of the British Library Association in 1979 and an Honorary Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Library and Information Professionals (CILIP) in 2005. “Future Libraries: Dreams, Madness, and Reality” (co-written with Walt Crawford) was honored with the 1997 Blackwell’s Scholarship Award. His book “Our Enduring Values,” was the winner of ALA’s 2001 Highsmith Award for the best book on librarianship. He is also the author of “The Concise AACR2,” “Our Own Selves: More Meditations for Librarians,” and hundreds of articles in professional and scholarly journals.

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