ALA Cognotes Interactive - July 2009 - (Page 8)

Page 8 • Cognotes 2009 Annual Conference Highlights • CHICAGO Urbanska Sees Libraries as Natural Leaders in a Trend Toward Sustainable Living By Frederick J. Augustyn, Jr. The Library of Congress Wanda Urbanska, host and producer of PBS’s “Simple Living” series, was part of the Auditorium Speaker Series July 12. Introduced by Leonard Kniffel, Editor-in-Chief of American Libraries magazine, Urbanska is a noted consultant on sustainable development and green living. She’s a newspaper columnist, and author of or collaborator on seven books, including the anthology Less Is More (2009). Kniffel noted that at least as long ago as in her first book in 1992, Urbanska addressed what is gained, rather than what is more walking, or greater use of lost, by simpler, more rational public transportation. consumer choices. Increasingly more AmeriWith the hint of her homecans recognize that clutter can town of Mt. Airy, North Carolina “stuffocate us.” Urbanska cham(TV’s Mayberry) in her voice, she pions this “Europeanization” of emphasized the opportunities consumer usage, which is also confronting us in a challenging indebted to alternative American economy. “The indicators are values as enunciated in visionary there to say that the age of overbooks such as Thoreau’s Walden, consumption is over.” We face Wanda Urbanska talks about overconsumption and Scott and Ann Nearing’s Living choices in the categories of heat simple living on July 12, as part of the Auditorium the Good Life, and Rachel Carand housing, food and modes of Speaker Series presentation. son’s Silent Spring. transportation. The post-World Urbanska has already pubWar II propensity toward larger houses since 2007; consumers are more often licized the vanguard roles that many for often smaller families has reversed opting for locally grown produce; and libraries have and can continue to play in the move toward transumerism such as in her article “A Greener Library, A Greener You” in the April issue of American Libraries. Libraries, an important “third place” in which people spend much of their time after home and work, Library Card Sign-up Month locally. ies is the ALA’s public awareness have demonstrated to their patrons the In addition to the PSAs, librarians campaign that promotes the value of values of environmental stewardship, can download sample media materi- libraries and librarians. Thousands thoughtful consumption, community als and Web badges. All resources can of libraries of all types — across the involvement, and financial responsibilbe downloaded at http://www.ala.org/ country and around the globe — ity, all aspects of simple living. librarycardsignup. use the Campaign’s @ your library® Urbanska encouraged libraries to: Library Card Sign-up Month was brand. The Campaign is made “reduce, reuse, and recycle paper,” poslaunched in 1987. It is a time to remind possible in part by ALA’s Library sibly limiting the number of printouts parents that a library card is the most Champions. through fees; buy recycled products; important school supply of all. Since The “Smartest Card” was created turn off power strips when not in use; then, thousands of public and school by the Public Library Association buy furniture that lasts; and eliminate libraries join each fall in a national ef- (PLA), a division of ALA, to promote SUIs or “single use items” such as paper fort to ensure every child does just that. the library card as the most imporcups, plastic-bottled water, and disposThe Campaign for America’s Librar- tant card in every wallet. able bags. Basketball Star Candace Parker Named Honorary Chair of Library Card Sign-up Month Olympic Gold-medalist and 2008 WNBA Rookie of the Year Candace Parker will let Americans know that a library card is the “smartest card” in every wallet. As Honorary Chair of Library Card Sign-up Month in September, Parker will be featured in print and radio public service announcements (PSAs). ALA will place the PSAs in magazines and on radio stations across the country. PSAs are available for free download to libraries looking to promote Grab a cup of joe. Learn how to save time and money as you improve access to your collection. Visit www.marcive.com/homepage/ala.htm to download any of the presentations given by MARCIVE during ALA. Topics include: • ERIC: New ways to provide access to ERIC documents through your catalog • Authorities: Automated processing of bib and authorities records • Reclassification: How one college moved from Dewey to LC call numbers cost-effectively • Authorities and database building: How to retrieve everything you already own • MARC Record Enrichment: TOC, Fiction/Biography, Summaries to aid retrieval and determine relevancy • And many more! Did you miss ALA or not have a chance to swing by our booth? Give us a call now! www.marcive.com/homepage/ala.htm • 800.531.7678 • info@marcive.com http://www.simplelivingtv.net/ http://www.ala.org/ala/issuesadvocacy/advocacy/publicawareness/alainitiatives/otherinitiatives/card/librarycard.cfm http://www.ala.org/ala/issuesadvocacy/advocacy/publicawareness/alainitiatives/otherinitiatives/card/librarycard.cfm http://www.ala.org/librarycardsignup http://www.ala.org/librarycardsignup http://www.marcive.com/homepage/ala.htm

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of ALA Cognotes Interactive - July 2009

ALA Cognotes Interactive - July 2009