Home Public Library Association Conference to draw thousands to Seat
Contact: Larra Clark
Press Officer
312-280-5043
For Immediate Release
February 6, 2004
Public Library Association Conference to draw thousands to Seattle, February 24-28
Speakers include Anna Quindlen, Sherman Alexie, Bill Gates Sr.
(SEATTLE) - Public library visits have more than doubled in the past decade to nearly 1.2 billion annually, and circulation continues to grow; yet library budgets are being slashed from coast to coast.
The Public Library Association (PLA) 10th National Conference, February 24 to 28, in the Washington State Convention and Trade Center, will offer hundreds of speakers and programs that will share the latest information about how libraries help Americans discover the world, are places of education and self help that offer free access to all, and connect library users to the information they need - when they need it.
Despite major budget cuts forcing reduced operating hours, staffing and materials budgets in almost every state, libraries continue to serve as community centers. They offer free access to books, videos and online resources for families; business centers that support entrepreneurship and retraining; and expert staff to help everyone find the right answer in a world filled with information.
"Libraries are a vital part of a community's infrastructure and its social safety net," said PLA President Luis Herrera. "Libraries are places of opportunity and level the playing field in the information age. We need libraries and librarians now - more than ever."
According to a recent national survey, two-thirds of Americans said having access to a public library in their community was "very valuable." Sixty-three percent reported they would pay additional taxes to support public library services, also according to the Marist College
Institute for Public Opinion survey (http://midhudson.org/funding/advocacy/Marist_Poll_2003.pdf). And yet, nationally Americans spend less than the average cost of one hardcover book, about $25 a year, to support libraries. U.S. public library cardholders outnumber Amazon customers by almost 5 to 1.
The full conference opens Wednesday, February 25, with novelist and Pulitzer-prize winning journalist Anna Quindlen providing the keynote address at 2 p.m. Bill Gates, Sr., co-chair and CEO of the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, also will welcome librarians to Seattle during the Opening Session. Poet, writer and film producer Sherman Alexie will keynote the Closing Session at 11:45 a.m., Saturday, February 28.
Other authors scheduled to attend include: Harlan Coben ("Tell No One" and "Gone for Good"), Peter Dexter ("Paris Trout"), Jayne Ann Krentz ("Truth or Dare"), J.A. Jance ("Exit Wounds") and Ridley Pearson ("Middle of Nowhere").
Interactive conference programs range from "Reading America: Using Book Discussion to Reach Out to New Immigrant Populations" to "Going Green: Building a Sustainable Library" to "Untangled, Unwired, Unbound: Going Wireless in the Public Library." Early childhood literacy will be the focus of a two-day preconference that will discuss new research and strategies for helping children enter school ready to learn.
Librarian recruitment also is at the top of the agenda. Based on Census data, one in four of all librarians with master's degrees will reach the age of 65 before 2009. This data does not take into account early retirement, death or other reasons for leaving the profession before the age of 65. With one of the highest median ages of any occupation (47 years old), librarianship is a career with a frequent need to replenish itself. PLA has launched a Web site devoted to the topic: www.ala.org/ala/pla/projects/publiclibrecruit/publiclibrarian.htm.
More than 800 exhibitor booths, including top book publishers, will showcase the latest in products and services for public libraries and their users. The public can purchase exhibit passes for $25 in the conference registration area at convention center.
Advance press registration is available by contacting Kathleen Hughes at 312-280-4028. To schedule interviews, please contact Larra Clark at 312-280-5043, or onsite after February 24 at 206-219-4703.
More information about PLA 2004 can be found at www.ala.org/pla.
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