Pictures uploaded to Flickr

I've uploaded pics from Jose Aponte's opening session, the OCLC-sponsored reception at the Ali Center with Ed Hamilton speaking, and the "Out of the Stacks, Onto the Stage" talent show. Please add comments, and tag people if you see someone you know. Excellent conference! Applause to all the conference planners, the speakers, the attendees... Thank you. -Enid

Pics can be found here:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/spectrumofthefuture/
http://www.flickr.com/people/spectrumofthefuture/

Gaming Event with Eli Neiburger

Eli Neiburger "schools" Betsy Hughes on the finer points of "Dance Dance Revolution"

Once thought of as symptom of the root of the moral decline of degenerate youth; Videogames and gaming are now becoming popular with degenerate older folks (i.e. librarians). Eli Neiburger is the Associate Director of IT and Product Development at the Ann Arbor District Library Ann Arbor, Michigan.

¡Hola, José!

The Kentucky Library Association/Kentucky School Media Association/Southeastern Library Association/National Diversity in Libraries is off and running--and the kickoff came with a Latino!  Director of the San Diego County Library, self-confessed long-time Democrat, and yet two-time Bush appointee, as member of the U.S. National Commission for Libraries and Information Science and of the Advisory Council for the Laura Bush Foundation for America’s Libraries, Aponte launched first into song, at the urging of his audience, performing a song from the chain gangs, reflecting his message of overcoming barriers.  He explained later in his address that the prisoners on the chain gangs were not allowed to communicate directly with each other,  they came up with a system of repeated phrases that were passed along the chain, passing along news from home.  

I first heard José perform  (and dance) as the master of ceremonies for the Many Voices, Many Nations program at ALA in Anaheim in June.  In fact, you can hear him sing another song that he gave us only a snippet of today, Lookie, Lookie Yonder, on a YouTube video from the event.

José Aponte Hits Homerun

KLA's Debbe Oberhausen presents José with his very own Louisville Slugger

When José started off his presentation, Merengue to Mambo: Building an Inclusive Workplace, by belting out a bluesy prison work song from an Alan Lomax collection the audience knew they were in for something a little different. As the Director of the San Diego County Public Library José Aponte has brought all his varied life experiences to bear to build an inclusive workplace. This richness of difference celebrates life and we should appreciate the flavor that it brings to the mix.