Thursday pm:

Louise got us brainstorming in the afternoon: what do we value about libraries? who do we want to tell? how are we going to tell them? what stories are we going to tell? It got me thinking about all the cool things libraries mean to so many different people -- it's not just what libraries do for people but what libraries mean: they're a refuge, a place for independent learning, a jumping off point for new adventures, a place of hope and imagination and community....

The last session I attended today was, "Throw Me a Life Rope! Record Retention Strategies for Public Libraries and Public Library Systems" presented by Anita Taylor Doering, archivist at La Crosse Public, with the help of the ad hoc committee that developed the draft records retention schedule. Basically, this was a chance for the committee to talk about what they had done and to get some feedback on the draft. It was very interesting to me as a system trustee, as someone who needs to help get a records retention schedule implemented on our campus, and as a library historian. Records retention is all about deciding what you can throw away when and it's really useful to have a recommended schedule that's as complete and well thought out as this one.

The WLA/WLAF business meeting rounded out the afternoon. Nothing too controversial there; just a chance to get to hear how the association and the foundation are doing (both pretty well). Ron McCabe adjourned the meeting with a rendition of the old classic, "Some Enchanted Meeting..."

Had a nice walk downtown to the Campaign for Wisconsin Libraries fundraiser at the City Brewery Hospitality Center: beer tasting and good food in the shadow of the World's Largest Sixpack. Got to hear the Oktoberfest Singers -- a very fun group. And, of course, it's all for a good cause...