There is probably no better place to be during the holidays than the White House. I was privileged to attend the ceremony for the 2010 Winners of the IMLS (Institute for Museum and Library Services) National Medal. First Lady Michelle Obama elegantly presented each award in the East Room. Afterwards, attendees toured the Red, Blue and Green Rooms, each with individualized Christmas trees and decorations, on their way to the State Dining Room for a reception. It was a rare treat to see the sculpted white chocolate model of the White House, complete with First Dog Beau and interior rooms!
It was hard to leave the beautiful setting, but wonderful to feel the holiday spirit in our nation's capital!
I was privileged recently to represent the Smithsonian Institution at an organizational meeting of the new National Digital Stewardship Alliance, which is a follow-on group to the Library of Congress's NDIIP (National Digital Information Infrastructure and Preservation Program).
NDSA is envisioned as a collaborative effort among a diversity of organizations, including government, academic, educational, business and non-profit, who are collectively committed to finding the best ways of preserving digital information for the future. The forty or so people at this meeting reviewed drafts of the mission and values statements, membership criteria, principles and organizational structure with the help of consultant John Warren, who kept the group remarkably engaged and on task. Working Groups on Content, Standards and Practices, Infrastructure, Innovation and Outreach have been formed to carry on the work of the Alliance.
The Smithsonian is a new member and we are in a learning mode, but I hope to engage people across the Institution in this work for the benefit of people today and in the future.
Mary Augusta Thomas and I, Nancy Gwinn, went to Panama this week to visit our library at the Smithsonian Tropical Research Center. We saw the renovated library reading space, where extra windows have been added to bring in the light and lushness of the green spaces outside. STRI Director Biff Bermingham has a new senior team in place with Deputy Director Ron Herzig and Owen McMillan in the newly created position of Academic Dean. Dr. McMillan will be in charge of the expanding fellowship program. The library will work with both of these administrators for their STRI-related needs. The two expressed great confidence in our librarian Vielka Chang-Yau and told us how important and well-run the libraries and its services are. We also met with Vielka's staff Angel Aguirre, Ricardo Beteta, Elizabeth Sanchez, Apolinar Guerrero, and Mr. Sanchez. (See photo) The hard work and dedication of the staff are one of the keys to the library's success. Library volunteers Diane and Abby presented their project of inventorying and digitizing the 750-item map collection in the library, which represents an extensive resource for understanding the physical history of the region. Vielka organized a coffee for us to meet with a group of scientists and other library users. When we questioned them about their library use and concerns, it was clear that like other Smithsonian scientists, they are receiving most of their materials digitally and would like more, more, more! But they are especially appreciative of what we are able to supply for this library, the best science library in the region. STRI's administrators wanted us to convey to "Washington" how important the library's proactive collaboration with the University of Panama and the Panamanian community is to cementing excellent relationships in the country. It was as good visit, and we are well prepared to accompany the SIL Board to STRI for a visit next spring.
The opening session on Aug. 10 featured His Excellency Jan Eliasson, President of the 60th session of the United Nations General Assembly while he was Sweden's Ambassador to the United States (and a Gothenburg native). A tall, handsome and courtly man, I met him in the hotel elevator the day before! Speaking about "The Power of the Word—Communication and Access to Information in a Globalized World," he gave a compelling example of how he was able to negotiate the release and save the lives of 60,000 people caught in the middle of the Sudan civil war. Neither of the warring parties would agree to a "cease-fire," which would have allowed for the safe removal of the people, but both agreed to establish a "humanitarian corridor." The change of words accomplished the same thing. He issued a strong call for establishing global knowledge, widely and fairly distributed, which supported the Congress theme of "Open Access to Knowledge—Promoting Sustainable Progress."
Three plenary sessions, all at 8:30am, drew large crowds. Henning Mankell (above), internationally famous Swedish mystery author, emphasized the need for literacy and education as a means of giving children an identity and dignity as individuals. (By the way, although his mysteries are the most well-known, he has written other novels and children's books). He has seen how the street children of Mozambique, where he has spent many years, long for this and without it are doomed to short, miserable lives. Hans Rosling, said to be one of the 10 best speakers in the world, demonstrated his facility in an entertaining, yet serious, correction to what most people think of as the developing world. In fact, they are catching up with—and sometimes surpassing!—the developed world in terms of lower family size, better health, women's education, lower child mortality rates. Most people carry old ideas of there being a vast disparity between the two. Their economies are also improving, but they need more education, literacy and libraries. Finally, Sture Allen, member of the Swedish Academy and former Permanent Secretary, described the history and process of awarding the Nobel Prize for Literature. Listening to these speakers has been a highlight of this conference.
I might add that this has also been the week of the Gothenburg Cultural Fair, with large stages set up along the main Avenue and a host of heavy metal, rock, lyrical, gospel and other music featured every evening. The Gothenburg City Library has offered an IFLA Night Spot every evening till 1:00am with beer, wine and soft drinks for conferees and a place to network and meet friends. While I'm no longer on the Governing Board, I did speak yesterday at a Presidential Session on the theme of convergence of libraries, archives and museums and also helped to staff the ALA booth in the exhibit area for several hours on Wednesday. Once you have gotten to know people, an IFLA conference is a splendid way to increase global understanding of issues and learn from those in other countries. I recommend it!
