Ahoy! WAPL 2010 draws 300 to Lake Michigan shore

Thanks to WAPL Conference Chair Dave Weinhold and his excellent team for putting together another great librarian gathering. More than 300 librarians from across the state have been congregating at Blue Harbor Resort in Sheboygan. Among the highlights were a reception at Mead Public Library, a keynote speech by ALA Executive Director Keith Michael Fiels, and guest appearances by journalist and public television commentator Joel McNally and Milwaukee historian John Gurda.

DLTCL Assistant Superintendent Rick Grobschmidt (left) thanked librarians for all they do to assist state residents, especially for "stepping up to the plate" by helping Wisconsin job centers assist the increased number of unemployed residents. Times have been tough for library funding, he acknowledged, but he was optimistic that things will turn around. His speech was laced with gestures to symbolize Wisconsin's economic highs and lows, as well as libraries' excellent response to the new demands. Above, he demonstrates his hope that state funding to library systems, which has been cut in recent years, would soon go back up to normal levels.