An Open Letter to ALA

Dear ALA:

The time has come. I’m tired of waiting. I’m tired of complaining to the dear PLA employee on the trolley on I-Drive in Orlando. (while sweating profusely from the heat) This was my tipping point:

My friend CJ over at technobiblio just wrote this in his blog about not finding the PLA Program submission info very easily: “This is a perfect example of why PLA (and all other ALA’s divisions – doesn’t anyone want to be first?) need a blog…”

We’re talking communication..spreading the word. Please take a look at how blog software can disseminate information quickly and easily at the following libraries:

The SJCPL Lifeline: My own library’s blog, complete with RSS. People read it…this is how they get their library news. I’ve heard from them!

Thomas Ford Memorial Library: A site made of blogs!

AND Northwestern Library too!

I could never forget LISNews — where I get my pertinent daily fix of library and info science news…not at the ALA site..not at the PLA site… but at a grassroots, homegrown blog created by a bunch of dedicated library folk.

Finally, look at all of the blog sites collected at http://www.blogwithoutalibrary.net/links.html and tell me what you think… Fad? Flash in the Cyber Pan? I don’t think so.

Tell me, ALA, will you ever join the blogging masses of library folk?

Michael