Dinner with Gloria Zamora

So, on Tuesday I'm going to a dinner with president of the SLA, Gloria Zamora. Report will be forthcoming. If anyone can't attend and has questions you'd like me to ask, go ahead and post them here or email me.

Since she lives in Santa Fe, the only question I have right now is whether she will bring me crepes from the pasty shop/cafe in the Hotel La Fonda. The savory ones with the cheese please!

RIP...

Libraries For the Future

Pity Party, Pass the Ice Cream Please

Due to the previously thrown pity-party I was unavailable for about a week and a half. Regular snarkiness shall resume shortly.

ALA as the Well-Meaning Hippy

The ALA distributed this item, decrying possible destruction of artifacts and libraries in the Gaza Strip recently.

One thing about technology is it has made us more aware of what is really going on in the rest of the world, but it has also overloaded us with information. How many people will see this resolution? Can it have any impact? It's not like here in the US where the ACLU will hop to our defense and suddenly file a lawsuit.

On the other hand, I like being associated with an organization that stands up for what it believes in--that clearly states the First Amendment is inviolate and you can take your Patriot Act and put it where the sun don't shine, and that even takes a possibly Quixotic stand against the destruction of history and knowledge.

Ooh, Michael Connelly!!!!

Yes, I signed up for the ALA July conference in Chicago. I don't know how I will afford to go. I don't know where I will stay. I wasn't even sure I would go...until today. Today I finally read some of the goings on and one is an authors' speaking series. Yes, there will be speakers like Junot Diaz (about whom I should probably be more enthusiastic) and Melba Pattillo Beals, who was one of the students who helped desegregate Little Rock Central High School. But the one that made my heart go pitter-patter and start looking for hotels is Michael Connelly.

Holy moly! This guy is right up there with Elmore Leonard! This is reading-under-the-covers, don't-put-it-down-or-shower-until-it-is-finished reading. In a world that allows action/mystery bestsellers to include rehashed storyline galore, if the writing is adequate--Harlan Coben I'm talking to you--or even where the writing is drivel--too many to list here--evocative, clear prose; a deep protagonist; and a good plot are like finding gold.

Lawrence Block, you still rawk and I'd come to see you speak if you were there too.