2006

Scenes from the ALA opening session

Very impressive baritone telling people the session is about to start. We need have this guy recorded and announcing that “the library is now closing” all across the country.

The session led off with a surprisingly moving video of ALA and New Orleans, outlining the recovery efforts of the past year. They showed some amazing footage of the devastation, and the fixes being attempted.

Mayor Ray Nagin, talking about the importance that libraries have played here, Nagin says that “libraries have been the centerpoint of the diaspora.”

Mitch Landrieu regaled the audience with the world’s longest joke.

Madeleine Albright gave a powerful speach. Some highlights:

  • “Libraries are the laboratories of freedom.”
  • Talking about freedom, she said “what we preach abroad, we also need to practise at home.”
  • The axis of evil is actually “poverty, ignorance, and disease.”