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State
Librarian of California,
Susan Hildreth
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Update from the State Librarian
Greetings everyone. I have enjoyed a fall full of travel and
activities. Please read
on!
My September agenda included visits to library sites and events
throughout California. Early in the month I joined my learned colleagues at the UCLA
Research Forum for which we provided input to UCLA doctoral
students investigating a research agenda for public libraries.
On September 9th I attended the opening of the Monterey
Park Bruggemeyer Library, a renovated and expanded building that
the community clearly loves – huge numbers of people attended the
gala event. On September
14th we had an informative Library of California Board
meeting in Sacramento
where Ruth Metz, library consultant and former CLSA
system director, introduced the California State Library’s (CSL’s)
efforts to determine new models for question answering.
September 15th I was pleased to attend the donor
reception at the newly renovated and expanded Carmichael Library in Sacramento. (I was involved in
wiring
Carmichael’s building for the Internet in the early 90’s, and can attest
to the vast improvement!)
I next zipped down to West Hollywood and joined Margaret Todd, County
of Los Angeles library director, in welcoming attendees to the
annual Book Fair, an event that boasted a huge audience and many
great authors. I then
attended the Diversity Summit sponsored by UCLA on September 18th.
Like the Research Forum, the
Summit
featured outstanding professionals and students who brainstormed
methods for achieving the diversity so vital for library success in
our multicultural communities. I topped off my September with the
fabulous opening of Monterey County‘s Castroville Branch, a
building set in the civic plaza, and truly the heart of that
community.
Traveling far outside
California
in October, I began the month in Little Rock,
Arkansas
to attend the fall continuing education meeting of the Chief
Officers of the State Library Agencies (COSLA)
during which we had a great discussion on The World is Flat
(Thomas A. Friedman) and what it means for libraries. The COSLA
group also had a wonderful tour and dinner at the Clinton
Presidential Library.
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California State Library, Stanley Mosk Library and Courts Building
facade.
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In
mid-October, I took advantage of the Western
Council of State Libraries’ (all state libraries west of the
Mississippi
) fall meeting in
Honolulu
where I spent the pre-meeting weekend enjoying
Waikiki. Imagine my surprise
when I awoke on Sunday, October 15th to a 6.7
earthquake! The power
was off until 10 pm in Honolulu
so the stores and restaurants were closed all day, creating cranky
tourists. The Council’s meeting went on without incident and I
saw many wonderful public libraries on
Oahu. Stephen Abrahm, SirsiDynix
Vice-President for Innovation, was our keynote speaker and
challenged us to rock our world – in step with the earthquake
experience.
On
October 19th, I attended the annual Open House at the Braille
Institute in Los Angeles, a wonderful center that provides
diverse services to the visually impaired. That day I also
attended the 50th anniversary celebration for
California Literacy in
Pasadena.
Back
in Sacramento
in late October, I was honored to host library school students
from the
Oakland, Sacramento
and San Francisco Public Libraries who are participating in the
Urban Libraries Council Scholars program. These students meet
regularly to learn more about the profession, their institutions
and to develop their own network.
I was lucky to interact with library school students again
when I was a guest in Dave Genesy’s public policy class at San Jose
State
University.
My
November began with the grand opening of the City
of Alameda Main Library. Though rainy that day, Alameda
locals were out in force to see their beautiful new library that
has been planned for over 30 years.
I then scooted down to San Jose
again to participate in the San
Jose School of Library and Information Science Advisory
Committee, members of which include industry representatives,
library practitioners, faculty and students who give Dean Ken
Haycock and his staff strategic advice on their program. While at
the university, I attended the annual Lazerow
Lecture and again had the pleasure of hearing the irreverent
Stephen Abrahm.
On
November 8th, I hosted a reception in my office for
attendees at the Harvard Library Design Seminar.
California
was fortunate to be the first non-Harvard site for this unique
learning opportunity. Finally,
many of you enjoyed a look at the State Librarian’s office when
you visited during the CLA reception that the CSL
Foundation and Infopeople
generously sponsored. It
was great to see all of you at that fun event.
In
December I am sure I will be on the road again but I am most
excited to participate in a summit, convened by American
Library Association President Leslie Burger.
This meeting to develop a National Legislative Agenda for
libraries will be held December 10 -11th in Washington,
DC. I applaud Leslie’s efforts in convening this summit and will
provide you with details on the outcomes in the spring 2007
edition of CSL Connection.
Hope
you all have a great holiday season and best in 2007.
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