Cognotes 2018 Annual Conference Highlights - 13

2018 ANNUAL HIGHLIGHTS

COGNOTES

ALAANNUAL.ORG/MOBILE-APP|#ALAAC18

13

Conversation with Dr. Carla Hayden:
Library Services in Today's World
By Wendy Bundy, Clarion University, PA

Former ALA President Courtney Young
sat down with Librarian of Congress Carla
Hayden to discuss various hot topics facing libraries today at the RUSA President's
Program on June 23. Conference attendees
were eager to hear Hayden's perspectives on
library service in today's world and what she
thinks is most important for libraries and
their staff moving forward. Hayden joked,
"You can teach an old dog new tricks," referring to veteran staff and how they need
to embrace change.
Hayden sees libraries as a way to expose
people to cultures and ideas they may not
otherwise encounter. "Be the window to
the world for people." She urged librarians
to be flexible and noted that one obstacle
in the library world is the division that can
sometimes occur between academic and
public libraries. "This doesn't have to be -
and shouldn't be - the case."
People should feel history and have
those "pinch-me moments" when exposed
to documents and artifacts from the past.
Hayden is striving to make this a reality for
all people, noting that the Library of Congress is the people's library. She is strongly
advocating for digitalization in hopes to get
more history and information to the people.
Quoting Frederick Douglass, Hayden
stated, "Once you learn to read, you will be

forever free." Hayden often uses this quote
to emphasize her point that people need
access to information and reading material
because it impacts society on a larger level.
Hayden said that librarians have been
dubbed the original search engine and society is embracing the fact that they can gain
information that has value and authority
without judgment. "This is, in fact, one of
the greatest arguments for libraries in the
21st century." Hayden urged the audience to
use the Library of Congress as an extension
of their service.
"Having pride in what you do, making
it fun, and sharing that joy with others is
what librarianship was built upon and [we]
should continue to embrace," concluded
Hayden.

CSK Awards
» from page 10

Sharon Bell Mathis. Mathis also received
the Coretta Scott King Author Award.
That year, the Coretta Scott King seal was
designed by Lev Mills, an internationally
renowned artist in Atlanta, to identify
book jackets of award winners.
For nearly half a century, such outstanding African American authors and
illustrators as Toni Morrison, Maya

Newly-elected Exhibits Round Table Executive Board.

Angelou, Walter Dean Myers, Virginia
Hamilton, Jerry Pinkney, and Christopher
Paul Curtis have been honored by the
ALA as Coretta Scott King Book Award
recipients.
In 1979, on the 10 th anniversary of
the King awards, the Coretta Scott King
Awards Task Force was formed and became
a part of the ALA's Social Responsibilities
Round Table with Glyndon Greer as chair.
Greer died in 1980, having seen the award
succeed as one of ALA's most prestigious

honors. In 1982, the Coretta Scott
King Book Awards became an official
award of the American Library Association.
Currently the Coretta Scott King
Book Award Anniversary Committee
is planning 50th anniversary celebration
events to take place during 2019. Additional information regarding Coretta
Scott King Book Award 50th Anniversary activities will be available within
the coming weeks at www.ala.org/csk.

A Signature Degree for the
Earn your Master of Management
in Library and Information Science
online from our top-ranked
business school.

ALA Initial Accreditation
USC ranks #21 by US News &
World Report

Contact us at 1-877-830-8647 or visit our website at http://librarysciencedegree.usc.edu
http://alaannual.org/mobile-appi#alaac18 http://www.ala.org/csk http://librarysciencedegree.usc.edu
Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Cognotes 2018 Annual Conference Highlights
