Thursday July 23
Back in Vienna I miss the group. For three weeks we were together:
25 people from 22 countries: Elisabeth from Austria, Mostafizur from Bangladesh, Magda from Costa Rica, Cecile from Cote d'Ivoire, Anita from Croatia, Osama from Egypt, Thea from Georgia, Muldian from Indonesia, Cheryl from Jamaica, Sarrah from Kenya, Aivija from Latvia, Ramadan from Libya, Jorge from Mexico, Shehu from Nigeria, Nancy from Nigeria, Shaikha from Oman, Mirko from Serbia, Alena from Slovakia, Pateka from South Africa, Yusuf from Sudan, Lucia from Trinidad and Tobago, Linh from Vietnam, Suzanne, Irwin und Stanley, our English language officers from the United States. What an interesting group: 13 ladies and 12 gentlemen, 9 librarians from Africa, 6 from Europe, 3 from Asia, 4 from Middle America and 3 accompanying persons from the United States. At the end we were a family having learned a lot about American libraries, but having also been taught many lessons in tolerance and acceptance of diverse cultural backgrounds. Thank you all for that unique experience!
Donnerstag, 23. Juli 2009
Donnerstag, 16. Juli 2009
Dienstag, 14. Juli 2009
Tuesday July 14
NEW YORK, NEW YORK
The flight from Chicago to New York is perfect. The weather allows us a farewell view on the second city and Lake Michigan - similar to the view from the Hancock Observatory and a view on Manhattan, the Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island before arriving in New York.
I have an individual date with the Director of the Austrian Cultural Forum and the librarian of the ACF. The building on 52nd Street in Manhattan is a masterpiecec of architect Raimund Abraham! Have a look: http://www.acfny.org/fs.aspx?SID=&EID=&FEID=
NEW YORK, NEW YORK
The flight from Chicago to New York is perfect. The weather allows us a farewell view on the second city and Lake Michigan - similar to the view from the Hancock Observatory and a view on Manhattan, the Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island before arriving in New York.
I have an individual date with the Director of the Austrian Cultural Forum and the librarian of the ACF. The building on 52nd Street in Manhattan is a masterpiecec of architect Raimund Abraham! Have a look: http://www.acfny.org/fs.aspx?SID=&EID=&FEID=
Monday July 13
Our time in Chicago ends with the International Librarians' Reception in the Chicago Public Library. At the invitation of the ALA-exhibitors librarians from North America and their internal guests enjoy wine and food in the winter garden of the Harold Washington Public Library on the top floor of the building. What a colourful picture! A lot of the international guests are dressed in their national costumes.
Sorry still no photos available!
Our time in Chicago ends with the International Librarians' Reception in the Chicago Public Library. At the invitation of the ALA-exhibitors librarians from North America and their internal guests enjoy wine and food in the winter garden of the Harold Washington Public Library on the top floor of the building. What a colourful picture! A lot of the international guests are dressed in their national costumes.
Sorry still no photos available!
Sonntag, 12. Juli 2009
The "Silver Bean", one of the new sights of Chicago
Sunday July 12
Today I have a major problem. The transfer from my photo card to the laptop doesn't work. Thus I already thought I couldn't load photos on the blog. But thanks to the internet I've found a good photo there! Hundreds of people from Chicago and tourists rival for the best photo positions infront of the Cloud Gate, the official name of the sight. Millennium Park - sandwiched between Lake Shore Drive and Michigan Avenue - is one of the hot spots of Chicago. There are not only gardens, but interesting architecture like fountains and the Jay Pritzker Pavillon. People who enjoy concerts there usually picknick on the lawn.
Today was a hard conference day. The air conditioning cools down the rooms to approximately 18 degrees. We Europeans freeze!!!
I joined one of the events organized by the Feminist Task Force. Three movies from the "Women Make Movies"-catalogue were shown. "Women's Kingdom" offered a rare glimpse into Mosuo culture, one of the last matriarchal societies in the world. "Guerrillas in our Midst" explores the mechanism of the commercial art world. The Guerrilla Girls managed in putting racism and sexism on the agenda of the art world in the 1980s. "To see if I'm Smiling" is a documentary on six female Israeli soldiers . The film explores the ways how gender, ethics and moral resonsibility intersect during wartime. I admit I could not stay till the end, That film was too hard for me!!!
Samstag, 11. Juli 2009
Saturday July 11
On Thursday our group went by aeroplane from Portland to Chicago. In Chicago, the so-called second city, the Annual Conference of the American Library Association brings more than 15,000 librarians together. Friday is the day for preconferences. Our group attended the preconference "Digitization in Developing Countries". The exhibition with over 1,500 booths opended on Saturday morning. Apart from hard- and software for libraries you can also find the newest books printed in the USA there. After the registration we find ourselves loaded with material and program guides. For the three conference days we choose our individual programs. I'm lucky, the conference interesting lectures e.g. one on "Political Engagement : facilitating greater participation in civil society", but of course there are far more programs for public libraries. The full program is online: http://www.ala.org/
On Thursday our group went by aeroplane from Portland to Chicago. In Chicago, the so-called second city, the Annual Conference of the American Library Association brings more than 15,000 librarians together. Friday is the day for preconferences. Our group attended the preconference "Digitization in Developing Countries". The exhibition with over 1,500 booths opended on Saturday morning. Apart from hard- and software for libraries you can also find the newest books printed in the USA there. After the registration we find ourselves loaded with material and program guides. For the three conference days we choose our individual programs. I'm lucky, the conference interesting lectures e.g. one on "Political Engagement : facilitating greater participation in civil society", but of course there are far more programs for public libraries. The full program is online: http://www.ala.org/
Mittwoch, 8. Juli 2009
Wednesday July 8
We spend the whole day in Salem, the capital of Oregon. Like in Portland all meetings are well prepared, they start and end in time. Our American colleagues are perfect hosts. Since they are so interested in our international group, they always make us present aspects of our work too.
For me as a parliamentary librarian this day is one of the highlights. The Capitol of Oregon, the State Library and the State Archives are situated next to each other at the mall. The three buildings are made of the same beautiful white marble. Without words it is clear that the Library and the Archives are important elements of the society of the state of Oregon. Because of a fire in the Capitol two years ago the Gouvernor lost his office and together with a staff of twenty he has moved to the State Library!
In the National Archives we are welcomed by the Sectretary of State Kate Brown, who spends 20 minutes with us! Kate Brown would take the position of the Governor in case something happened to him.
Oregon is a happy state! There are no security checks in the Capitol. The Secretary of State meets our group without bodyguards or other personal assistants! Oregon has a bi-cameral parliament, but the legislation meets in plenary only every second year!
We spend the whole day in Salem, the capital of Oregon. Like in Portland all meetings are well prepared, they start and end in time. Our American colleagues are perfect hosts. Since they are so interested in our international group, they always make us present aspects of our work too.
For me as a parliamentary librarian this day is one of the highlights. The Capitol of Oregon, the State Library and the State Archives are situated next to each other at the mall. The three buildings are made of the same beautiful white marble. Without words it is clear that the Library and the Archives are important elements of the society of the state of Oregon. Because of a fire in the Capitol two years ago the Gouvernor lost his office and together with a staff of twenty he has moved to the State Library!
In the National Archives we are welcomed by the Sectretary of State Kate Brown, who spends 20 minutes with us! Kate Brown would take the position of the Governor in case something happened to him.
Oregon is a happy state! There are no security checks in the Capitol. The Secretary of State meets our group without bodyguards or other personal assistants! Oregon has a bi-cameral parliament, but the legislation meets in plenary only every second year!
Dienstag, 7. Juli 2009
Tuesday July 7
We start today's program at the Boley Law Library at Lewis & Clark Law School. After having seen the largest law library in Oregon we change to the Cornelius Public Library, where we learn a lot about rural library management. Among other services the library offers a lot of special services to the big Spanish-speaking community and to homebound individuals. Next we are invited to the Pacific University Library which we admire for its stunning architecture and most interesting library services. In the late afternoon we visit the Oregon Historical Society Research Library.
In the evening we enjoy Home Hospitality. Each of our group is invited to dinner in a private home. My host, Denise Dallmann, is of German/Austrian descent, and very, very nice.
We start today's program at the Boley Law Library at Lewis & Clark Law School. After having seen the largest law library in Oregon we change to the Cornelius Public Library, where we learn a lot about rural library management. Among other services the library offers a lot of special services to the big Spanish-speaking community and to homebound individuals. Next we are invited to the Pacific University Library which we admire for its stunning architecture and most interesting library services. In the late afternoon we visit the Oregon Historical Society Research Library.
In the evening we enjoy Home Hospitality. Each of our group is invited to dinner in a private home. My host, Denise Dallmann, is of German/Austrian descent, and very, very nice.
Montag, 6. Juli 2009
Sonntag, 5. Juli 2009
Sunday July 5
Today all of us change from the Eastcoast to the Westcoast - time difference 3 hours. Till Thursday we are split into three groups. Magda from Costa Rica, Thea from Georgia, Cheryl from Jamaica, Shehu from Nigeria, Alena from Slovakia and I form Team A. The other two groups go either to San Diego, California, or to Seattle, Washington. Our English language officer Irwin leads us via Chicago to Portland, Oregon, almost 2400 miles from Washington. Since the security checks take a long time we leave early for Reagan Airport, Washington, DC. Both of our flights are in time. The transfer in Chicago OHare is easy, although it is one of the biggest airports in the US. From the plane we can see some of the beautiful landscape of Oregon: mountains with snow on top, green valleys and the Columbia river. Irwin says, Oregon is like Austria. We'll see!
Today all of us change from the Eastcoast to the Westcoast - time difference 3 hours. Till Thursday we are split into three groups. Magda from Costa Rica, Thea from Georgia, Cheryl from Jamaica, Shehu from Nigeria, Alena from Slovakia and I form Team A. The other two groups go either to San Diego, California, or to Seattle, Washington. Our English language officer Irwin leads us via Chicago to Portland, Oregon, almost 2400 miles from Washington. Since the security checks take a long time we leave early for Reagan Airport, Washington, DC. Both of our flights are in time. The transfer in Chicago OHare is easy, although it is one of the biggest airports in the US. From the plane we can see some of the beautiful landscape of Oregon: mountains with snow on top, green valleys and the Columbia river. Irwin says, Oregon is like Austria. We'll see!
Samstag, 4. Juli 2009
Saturday July 4
"Happy July Fourth" - that is what you hear most today in Washington, DC. The Independence Day is a national holiday in the United States. On July 4th, 1776, the Declaration of Independence was signed. The signing of this document is generally considered the founding moment of the nation. You feel it. Almost all buildings - public and private - are decorated at least with one flag.
"Happy July Fourth" - that is what you hear most today in Washington, DC. The Independence Day is a national holiday in the United States. On July 4th, 1776, the Declaration of Independence was signed. The signing of this document is generally considered the founding moment of the nation. You feel it. Almost all buildings - public and private - are decorated at least with one flag.
I start at the National Archives, where I enjoy a reading of the Declaration of Independence by the historical re-enactors John Adams, Benjamin Franklin, Thomas Jefferson and Ned Hector. At the end of the ceremony Duane Moody sings "America the Beautiful" and hundreds of people sing with him.
Thousands of people are in the streets, a lot of them dressed in the national colours red, blue and white. Marching bands, floats, baloons and military units in historic coutumes parade in a celebration of freedom.
The highlight is the Capitol Fourth Concert on Capitol Hill which is attended by thousands of people who have been waiting since the early afternoon for this evening event. It is broadcasted live nationally. Aretha Franklin, Barry Manilow and a lot of other superstars appear on the stage. The Rhapsody in blue played by Michael Feinstein and the National Symphony Orchestra tops all. At the end almost everybody is outside to enjoy the fireworks.
Freitag, 3. Juli 2009
Donnerstag, 2. Juli 2009
Dienstag, 30. Juni 2009
Montag, 29. Juni 2009
Monday June 29
Today we start the official program. In the Institute for International Education we meet the Program Officers who coordinate and manage our program. Aproximately 3000 people per year are invited under similar programs to the USA. We discuss the program in detail and settle a lot of administrative questions.
After a lunch sponsored by the US Department of State Mr Edwin S. Clay, the Director of the Fairfax County Public Library, starts the first lecture. 81 % of the 123.000 libraries in the USA are connected to schools, 8 % are public libraries (usually equipped with heritage rooms), 7 % are specialised libraries and 3 % are academic libraries. 62 % of the US adults have library cards and check out 7 books per year! Apart from many other facts we learn that being a librarian is not only highly estimated in society, but also highly paid! Libraries keep privacy. The moment a book is returned to the library the name of the borrower is erased.
Due to long opening hours I can spend an hour in the Smithsonian American Art Museum, where I find among others three paintings by John Singer Sargent. In the Gallery of American Presidents you find the portraits of John F. Kennedy and Bill Clinton both painted by female artists.
Today we start the official program. In the Institute for International Education we meet the Program Officers who coordinate and manage our program. Aproximately 3000 people per year are invited under similar programs to the USA. We discuss the program in detail and settle a lot of administrative questions.
After a lunch sponsored by the US Department of State Mr Edwin S. Clay, the Director of the Fairfax County Public Library, starts the first lecture. 81 % of the 123.000 libraries in the USA are connected to schools, 8 % are public libraries (usually equipped with heritage rooms), 7 % are specialised libraries and 3 % are academic libraries. 62 % of the US adults have library cards and check out 7 books per year! Apart from many other facts we learn that being a librarian is not only highly estimated in society, but also highly paid! Libraries keep privacy. The moment a book is returned to the library the name of the borrower is erased.
Due to long opening hours I can spend an hour in the Smithsonian American Art Museum, where I find among others three paintings by John Singer Sargent. In the Gallery of American Presidents you find the portraits of John F. Kennedy and Bill Clinton both painted by female artists.
Sonntag, 28. Juni 2009
Sunday June 28 2009
Today the group of 22 participants from 21 different countries meet for the first time. We are more women than gentlemen, but that is quite typical for librarians. Six of us are from Europe, three are from Asia, nine from Africa and four from Central America.
A special tour of Washington has been arranged for us. We learn a lot about key historic facts. Freemasonry was an important concept for the forefathers. Turn a one dollar note around and you'll find symbols such as the pyramid and the eye of God who will never be reached by buildings erected by human beings. We are lucky, the tour guide is excellent. Compared with my stay in Washington in 1997 I must admit that things have become far more complicated after 9/11. You have to prebook for many sights such as the Capitol, the White House or the Washington Monument. In 1997 I could just go there and perhaps wait in a queue to be admitted.
Our next stops are the Jefferson Memorial and the Lincoln Memorial. The model for the Lincoln Memorial is the Greek temple Parthenon from the Akropolis. There it was on August 28 1963 that Martin Luther King said the famous words "I have a dream" adressing more than 200.000 people. Today 77% of the population in Washington is Afro-American. After the end of our tour at the Vietnam Veterans Memorial I walk over to the National World War II Memorial which was only opened in 2004.
In the evening our group meets for a first intragroup discussion in the hotel. This meeting gives us a chance to present our countries and our careers and to get to know each other better. Group photos are an important tool to get closer!
Today the group of 22 participants from 21 different countries meet for the first time. We are more women than gentlemen, but that is quite typical for librarians. Six of us are from Europe, three are from Asia, nine from Africa and four from Central America.
A special tour of Washington has been arranged for us. We learn a lot about key historic facts. Freemasonry was an important concept for the forefathers. Turn a one dollar note around and you'll find symbols such as the pyramid and the eye of God who will never be reached by buildings erected by human beings. We are lucky, the tour guide is excellent. Compared with my stay in Washington in 1997 I must admit that things have become far more complicated after 9/11. You have to prebook for many sights such as the Capitol, the White House or the Washington Monument. In 1997 I could just go there and perhaps wait in a queue to be admitted.
Our next stops are the Jefferson Memorial and the Lincoln Memorial. The model for the Lincoln Memorial is the Greek temple Parthenon from the Akropolis. There it was on August 28 1963 that Martin Luther King said the famous words "I have a dream" adressing more than 200.000 people. Today 77% of the population in Washington is Afro-American. After the end of our tour at the Vietnam Veterans Memorial I walk over to the National World War II Memorial which was only opened in 2004.
In the evening our group meets for a first intragroup discussion in the hotel. This meeting gives us a chance to present our countries and our careers and to get to know each other better. Group photos are an important tool to get closer!
Samstag, 27. Juni 2009
Saturday June 27 2009
At 11:30 am I leave Vienna. Nine hours later the plane - operated by Austrian Airlines - lands at Dulles Airport, Washington, DC. A friendly taxi driver is already waiting for participants of the IV-program "American Libraries". Alena from Slovakia, Thea from Georgia, Yusuf from Sudan, Obama from Egypt and I are brought to the Palomar Hotel, 2121 P Street, NW. The English Language Officers for this project Suzane, Stanley and Irwin welcome us in the hotel lobby. What a day. In the US capitol there is really summer. After a short swim in the hotel pool I feel just tired and go to sleep.
At 11:30 am I leave Vienna. Nine hours later the plane - operated by Austrian Airlines - lands at Dulles Airport, Washington, DC. A friendly taxi driver is already waiting for participants of the IV-program "American Libraries". Alena from Slovakia, Thea from Georgia, Yusuf from Sudan, Obama from Egypt and I are brought to the Palomar Hotel, 2121 P Street, NW. The English Language Officers for this project Suzane, Stanley and Irwin welcome us in the hotel lobby. What a day. In the US capitol there is really summer. After a short swim in the hotel pool I feel just tired and go to sleep.
Dienstag, 16. Juni 2009
WELCOME
A warm welcome to my first blog.
A lot of people have a dream. One of my dreams was and is to learn as much as possible about libraries. When the US Embassy informed me that I - as one of the few Austrian librarians since the start of the program in 1950 - was invited to join the International Visitors’ Leadership Program “American Libraries” I could not believe. But it is true. I’ll start on Saturday June 27 2009 together with 22 approved candidates from all over the world. The project is designed to promote a better understanding of the role and function of libraries and information specialists in U.S. society; provide information on a wide variety of U.S. libraries and information management systems; demonstrate the diversity of library services and study technology and its use in library systems, including online and digital services. What a chance!
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