looking out over the north entrance of Pasadena's Central Library
It's no secret I'm a fan of libraries and, by extension, librarians. You can imagine my glee when I received the press release with the following headline:
CALIFORNIA’S LIBRARIANS TO GATHER IN PASADENA TO DISCUSS THE CHANGING WORLD OF LIBRARY SERVICES
It's not like I'm going to the California Library Association Conference, or that I expect to meet any of these librarians while they're here this weekend (the 11th to 13th). It's just nice to know they're coming to town.
I hear they're a raucous bunch. In fact I know they are, my sister's a librarian. She's not a California librarian, but I know what I'm talking about. Don't let all that shushing fool you. These Dewey-eyed fans of Melvil and Melville are into space-age information distribution and wild, late-night author signings. They support literature of all kinds even if they don't agree with it. They read banned books.
From the press release:
“We’re very pleased to host the conference and showcase our community and our library system for librarians from across our state,” said Pasadena Library and Information Services Director Jan Sanders. “It’s a chance for us to learn to better meet the needs of library users. We also look forward to having conference attendees visit our libraries while they are here.”
They'll be in the libraries! Look out!
More information about the conference is available at www.cla-net.org.
17 comments:
Love the bit about Dewey-eyed fans (but who is Melvil?). That's an interesting new angle on our lovely central library, and I'm impressed that they've even dusted the tops of the lamps. You wouldn't find that in my house. As for those raucous librarians, I'll look out for them in Old Town - they wear home-knitted cardigans, don't they?
Congrats to Beth Walker for being named deputy director of the Pasadena Public Library system recently. She's been a senior librarian at Central Library for years and is great to work with. And thanks for helping spread the word about the annual conference! We're excited to host it in Pasadena.
Ah, Bellis, now we know who's not clicking her links! As for knitting, I'm sure some do but I won't perpetuate stereotypes. My sister used to sew but now she's too busy for it.
PIO, I love to hear about promotion from within. Congratulations to Ms. Walker and welcome, California Librarians. I hope the weather holds and they have a good time here.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Melvil_Dewey
I did click the link but only skimmed it, so missed the fact that it was Melvil Dewey. Of course, I also thought that was Melvil's photo on the Wikipedia page. Just in too much of a hurry nowadays.
That's what I figured, Bellis. I was too hard on you. Who has time to read links?
The link in the post is to the Dewey Decimal System and the link here in the comments goes directly to Melvil Dewey's own page.
at first blush on the phone, the pic looked like the old card catalog system I used to spend hours perusing. I also missed the blur of a child that a few (ahem) years ago could have been pigtailed little me, trailing my mother.
I'm never fooled by the "shy and quiet" librarian types. A sister-in-law in SoCal is a librarian (and I am guessing will be wandering Pasadena), she can out party me any day.
And all hail (dot), to Dewey!
Great photo, Petrea. I know how Ryoko would get up there but how did you manage it?
Yay for libraries and librarians! And what a great place to gather.
Two of my oldest and bestest friends are librarians, a fact that probably besmirches the general good name of librarians and does little for their reputation for intelligence. I bought one of them a Nancy Pearl Action Figure set one Christmas and it is still proudly displayed in their living room. They're an odd yet admirable breed.
Hurray for librarians! Not all librarians wear knitted sweaters and always have their hair in a bun. I once dated a librarian. She was reserved and mild mannered during the day but when the lights were dimmed she turned into a wild woman.
Trish, they still use the old card catalog in the Centennial Room. At least they did last time I was in there.
Dive, all I had to do was climb the stairs! I took this picture from the second floor landing.
Hmm. Steven, I'm beginning to wonder if we're doing the librarians any favors here. I guess the point is they're people. Although the one I remember from my elementary school library fit the stereotype, or at least she does in my memory.
They're not all women, either. South Pasadena's head librarian is a man. He can't be the only one.
I am a big fan of libraries too, they are having a hard time in the UK at the moment with many under threat of closure.
Great angle on this shot, with just a hint of books and a kick stool to suggest this is a library, well that and the post title of course......
My first memory of the local library was the children's room, some time before I was old enough to have my own card. I sat on the floor, often with the entire room and all of its books to myself.
Next there was the day I stood at the check-out desk to get my very own card - I was five. I felt grown up, I felt like a world of secrets had opened its door for me.
And the librarians let me, a little girl, essentially have the run of the place. I read adults' books in the stacks, I explored old newspapers, I learned the privilege of the reference room. The library, and the librarians, provided both a shelter and a place I could explore the world - the one within me, and the one outside my door.
Great photo!
And a toast to librarians everywhere!
Nice photo. Love copper
Let us raise our copper mugs to them, Ms. M.
Really, copper was a good choice for these lanterns, was it not, PA? I wonder if they were Myron Hunt's idea.
Banned books are the BEST and sometimes I feel like they are the only thing worth reading. LOL!
Hi Rachel! I agree, and when they're books like "Tom Sawyer" or "Harry Potter" you kind of have to wonder who's doing the banning!
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