Libraries Linking Centuries,the theme of the 1999 TLA Annual Conference, reminds us to look back and appreciate the heritage that brought us to today and look forward to the new century with eyes and hearts that welcome inevitable changes.
Several innovations in the conference structure reflect the awareness of these changes starting with moving the first general session to a new morning slot to open the conference on Wednesday. This inspiring presentation from organizational expert Margaret Wheatley challenged the packed auditorium to explore the future and cherish the past by "staying together, knowing the flowers, and going lightly." She captured the imagination of attendees with her description of organizational life that embraces ambiguity and uncertainty, celebrates individuality, and encourages a commitment to lifelong learning. Her dire admonitions of the threats and challenges of technology were in dramatic contrast to the comments of the second general session speaker, Michio Kaku, physicist and author of Visions: How Science Will Revolutionize the 21st Century, who provided a gleeful slideshow tour of the cool gadgets in store for post-Y2K humankind.
Thanks to the Web, the TLA Annual Conference Exhibits continue via the TLA web page. A complete list of exhibiting companies, with links for many companies to their web sites, can be found at http://www.txla.org/conf99/prospectus/exhibits.html.
With over 200 programs to choose from, the following provides only a small sample of the range and depth of topics covered as well as the varying styles of presentation.
PLA President Christine Hage presented a two programs, the first of which was a pragmatic discussion of direct-mail fundraising complete with samples of the mailing done at her previous library in Rochester Hills, Michigan. Although the return was not enormous (an average of about $16,000 per year), there was little staff time required, and the costs were relatively low. Ms. Hage's second program was an entertaining exploration of "The Good, The Bad, and the Ugly" in libraries, consisting almost entirely of slides of different libraries with her commentary. The audience of approximately 200 was enthralled and it seemed all were able to identify with examples ranging from signage, to entry ways, to bulletin boards, to masses of tangled equipment cords.
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The Presidential party: American Library Association President Ann Symons (left) with TLA President JoAnne Moore (center) and TLA Executive Board member Elizabeth Snapp at the President's Party at Union Station. |
ALA President Ann Symons explored the topic of libraries and the Internet in "Celebrating the Freedom to Read! Learn! Connect! @ the Library." Ms. Symons stated that protecting children and ensuring access need not be mutually exclusive, but acknowledged the difficulty of maintaining First Amendment principles in the face of stiff community sentiments in favor of filters and other restrictions. A reactor panel of Texas library leadersLee Hisle, Elizabeth Polk, and James Stewartcontributed their views on the topic. |
Margaret McCasland, circulation services librarian for the Texas Tech University Libraries, and Michael Golden, science librarian at Miller Nichols Library, University of Missouri-Kansas City, presented "ADA-Compliant Access: You Think You Have It, but You Don't!" These librarians described their project to evaluate ADA access in the Tech library by assessing the library from the perspective of users with disabilities to improve services to those students through improved accessibility, staff training, and the availability of tools and training for users with disabilities. They provided a "Checklist for Serving Patrons with Disabilities," which ranged from getting patrons inside the library door to making sure web pages are accessible.
One of the programs in the new Distance Education track featured Alexius Smith, instruction librarian at Purdue University, who presented "Creating Your Own Style: What's Fashionable in Teaching and Technology for Distance Education." Her topics included choosing a teaching philosophy, setting program goals and objectives, and creating a networked learning environment. Her handouts included specific types of language to use in creating a distance-education plan as well as considerations about when to use different kinds of technology for teaching and learning.
From the opening video sequence from the television program "Northern Exposure" of Ed Chigliak suffering an acute anxiety attack while trying to learn how to operate his new computer, John Kupersmith held his overflow audience enthralled throughout his presentation, "TechnoStress: Keeping Cool as the Information Age Heats Up." Showing no signs of stress himself, he calmly mixed clinical research findings, "pop" psychology, and popular culture to explain the psychological bases of stress, its additive nature, events that are especially high stressors, environmental factors in stress, and effective methods to identify and mitigate stress.
"Stop Talking and Start Doing: Recruiting and Mentoring People of Color" presented Florence Simkins Brown of the North Miami Beach Public Library, Gerald Hodges of the American Library Association, and others speaking on how recruit and retain persons of African-American, Asian-American, Latino, and Native-American heritage. Barbara Gubbin of the Houston Public Library spoke with excitement of the success and progress of ALA's Spectrum Initiative.
A program on how to establish a SeniorNet Learning Center in your library was cancelled when the presenter, Pat Gordon, director of SeniorNet in Dallas, was hospitalized. Those who had intended to attend this program are urged to visit the organization's web site at http://www.seniornet.org for more information on how to start a SeniorNet program.
Georgia Harper, manager of the Intellectual Property Section of General Counsel for the University of Texas System, encouraged participants to take a "deep breath" before becoming overwhelmed by the complexity and ambiguity of copyright law. Ms. Harper directed attendees to a comprehensive online resource of materials on how to keep the digital library compliant with the rapidly changing world of copyright law. That web page can be found at http://www.utsystem.edu/ogc/intellectualproperty/cprtindx.htm.
Several children's book authors and illustrators described their work in fascinating detail. Chris Soentpiet, award-winning illustrator of Around Town, described with humor the foibles of working with child models, from photographs, and in odd locales, to produce his realistic, detailed artworks. Susan Guevara, illustrator of Chato's Kitchen, and Carmen Lomas Garza, whose paintings form the basis for two popular children's books, described how they draw upon their knowledge and experience in Latino culture to produce their works. Several Newbery and Caldecott-winning authors also spoke at the conference, including Katherine Paterson, Jean Craighead George, and Paul Zelinski.
TLA is also a time to enjoy "Special Events" that are not a part of our busy daily lives. The Welcome Party brought librarians to the African-American Museum in Fair Park. The President's Party at Union Station included a vintage style show that emphasized the importance of remembering our past. Other events of the evening included a picture display where participants matched the childhood picture to the present day photo of various Texas library leaders, a silent auctionand a wonderful picture display of past libraries and librarians as time has moved on.
Author Rudolfo
Anaya emceed the gala Evening with the Authors Dinner that allowed librarians
the opportunity to meet and visit with an author seated at their tables. During
the evening, Mr. Anaya introduced several authors who read from their works,
including Tomie dePaola, Carol Dawson, Pat Mora, Jim
Magnuson, and Berniece Rabe. Mr. Anaya performed double duty at the
conference, returning the next morning to speak at the Adult Services Breakfast,
where he wove a story of how his childhood shapes his tales and continues to
influence the creation of his recent mystery novels.
Yet
another departure in this year's program was the closing luncheon which, rather
than the usual choice of author or speaker, featured singer-songwriter Tish
Hinojosa who provided a soothing end to a week of meetings with a medley
of songs and stories relating her life experience and cultural influences. Several
attendees recommended that the closing luncheon should always include a similar
musical celebration to end the conference.
More than 8,000 librarians attended the 1999 TLA Annual Conference in Dallas. Each one left with special memories, loaded down with literature, armed with new ideas, and committed to attending the 2000 conference.
Donna Pohl and Mary Lynn Rice-Lively are co-chairs of the 1999 TLA Conference Program Committee. This article was prepared with reports from Program Committee members Judith Duer, Elizabeth Dupuis, Jenifer Flaxbart, Margo Gutierrez, Sharon Herfurth, and Drew Racine.
