ALACognotes

2015 MIDWINTER MEETING JANUARY 30 - FEBRUARY 3, 2015

Human Rights Activist, Author Ayaan Hirsi Ali Named 2015 Arthur Curley Memorial Lecturer

What happened to Islamic reform? Why have al Qaeda and Boko Haram become the faces of contemporary Islam? Why has the Arab Spring devolved into a battle over sharia law? Award-winning human rights activist Ayaan Hirsi Ali believes that ordinary Muslims throughout the world want wholesale change - contrary to conventional wisdom in the West. As 2015 Arthur Curley Memorial lecturer at the ALA Midwinter Meeting, she will speak about these and other ideas on Saturday, January 31 4:00-5:00 p.m.

In her forthcoming book Heretic (March 2015), the New York Times bestselling author of Infidel and Nomad crafts a powerful call for an Islamic Reformation as the only way to end the current wave of global violence and repression of women. Courageously engaging fundamentalists on their own turf- religion itself - she boldly calls for a Muslim Reformation, identifying five key amendments to Islamic doctrine that must be made in order to break from seventh-century traditions and fully engage with the 21st century.

Hirsi Ali interweaves her personal journey, historical parallels, and powerful examples from contemporary Islamic societies and cultures. Hirsi Ali is also the author of The Caged Virgin, in which according to a Booklist review, she “... challenges Western culture and Islam to honestly confront issues of religion and individual freedom in this compelling look at Islam and gender politics.” Born in Somalia and raised Muslim, Hirsi Ali grew up in Africa and Saudi Arabia before fleeing to the Netherlands in 1992, where she went from cleaning factories to winning a seat in the Dutch Parliament. A prominent speaker, debater, and op-ed writer, she was chosen as one of Time Magazine's 100 most influen-

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Ayaan Hirsi Ali

Make Your Case to Attend the ALA Midwinter Meeting

Making the case for time off and support for travel and expenses to attend a conference requires a solid understanding of the potential benefits to your institution, supervisor, and colleagues. And you need to be able to communicate those benefits clearly - especially in times of tight budgets and reduced staff. Use the information that follows to help make your case.

Familiarize yourself with the points in “Why you'll be more valuable to your library after the conference,” and read the quotes from your colleagues.

Get the costs together, showing how much you can save if you register and book travel and housing early.

Study any preliminary information about the program that is available, identifying sessions, events, and programs that could help you do your job better.

Share any preliminary program information with your colleagues. Talk to your colleagues who are unlikely to attend about how your attending could benefit them, what kind

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Reading Rainbow's LeVar Burton to Highlight Auditorium Speaker Series

Passionate and lifelong children's literacy advocate, actor, producer, director, and educator LeVar Burton will offer an unmissable treat for Midwinter Meeting attendees when he appears as an Auditorium Speaker on Sunday, February 1, 10:00 - 11:00 a.m. For three decades, Burton has been capturing the admiring attention of both audiences and his industry peers. He was host from 1983 - 2009 of the beloved original “Reading Rainbow” PBS series, is co-founder of the award-winning “Reading Rainbow” digital library, and is currently developing the next generation of innovative children's educational media.

Burton has recently published his first children's book, The Rhino Who Swallowed a Storm, a picture book written with poet Susan Schaefer Bernardo and illustrated by

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LeVar Burton

The entrance to the Shedd Aquarium - the largest indoor marine mammal facility in the world. Chicago boasts great museums, world-class shopping and festive nightlife. Click here to learn more. (Photo: © Choose Chicago)