The Spectrum Institute Opening Session

I will be blogging on the various committees I am involved in, as well as the various activities I do while here in Anaheim.

As a member of the Spectrum Institute committee, I arrived today to spend Wed.-Fri. with the current class of ALA Spectrum Scholars at the yearly Leadership Institute I helped to plan. Last year was my first Institute as a member of the 2006 class, and this is my way of giving back to the scholarship program, to recruit diverse librarians into the field, that has done so much for me.

The Institute began with a welcome from Monique le Conge, (current CA PLA pres.), followed by greetings from Loriene Roy (current ALA pres.), Jim Rettig (incoming ALA pres.) and Keith Michael Fiels (ALA Exec. Director).

Some notes from these speakers are as follows:
Monique: "libraries and librarians have an important role to be leaders - to bring new services and innovative thinking to their communities."
Loriene: "I'm the prez from the rez...the Institute is a good stepping point towards involvement in ALA committees."
Jim: "The Institute develops comraderie and professionalism...ALA is like a big city full of neighborhoods. We find our neighborhood based on our intersts in the field. When asked to join committees, don't even think. Say yes first. There will be time for regrets later."
Keith: He had many careers from a school librarian to public and even 10 years as the MA State Librarian. "Being a librarian is one of the best kept secrets in the world..ALA is not 66,000 people, but the half dozen I meet regularly who share my interests."

Reminder: The program "Many Voices, Many Nations" readings, sponsored by the Office of Diversity, will be held Friday from 5:30-9 PM at the Marriot Marquis NE. Admission is $10, and one does not have to be registered for the conference. A reading by Sherman Alexis, author of "The absolutely true diary of a part-time Indian" will be part of the evening, and the first 200 to attend will receive an autographed copy of his book. Light refreshments will be served.