January 11, 2008

Martin Luther King Jr.

The Bryant Library is participating in two great events coming up in celebration of the legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. The first is being held at the Roslyn Middle School on Tuesday, January 15th (the day of his actual birthday), at 7:30 p.m. The keynote speaker is Reverent Joel L. King, Jr., a first cousin of Dr. King and a minister from Ohio. The second event is being held at the library on Sunday, January 20th at 2:00 p.m., and features a one hour documentary of Dr. King's life, followed by a talk by Pastor Victor Lewis of the Friendship Baptist Church.

Why do we hold programs in Martin Luther King's honor and not instead remember him by closing the library? Because his message was so important, effects so many people and is just as relevant today as it was then. Some of the values that Dr. King taught through example are: courage, truth, justice, compassion, service and nonviolence. I don't know about you, but in this election year, these are qualities that I am always looking for (and don't often find) in a potential Presidential candidate.

This year, it seems that lots of young people are coming out to vote and have the possibility of ultimately swaying the vote. An essay on the Meaning of the Martin Luther King, Jr. holiday, written by Coretta Scott King, says, "This is not a black holiday; it is a peoples' holiday. And it is the young people of all races and religions who hold the keys to the fulfillment of his dream."

Bravo to today's young people for being an active group. And, as Mrs. King said, "May we who follow Martin now pledge to serve humanity, promote his teachings and carry forward his legacy into the 21st Century [and beyond]."

See the official website for suggestions for more information and/or activities. For other thoughts on Martin Luther King Jr. Day, from previous blog posts: 2006, or 2007

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May 12, 2007

Happy Mother's Day

I just finished reading my book club book, The Tender Bar by J.R. Moehringer. It's a memoir, which takes place mostly in Manhasset in the bar that is now called Edison's. I enjoyed the insight into the masculine pastime of hanging out in a neighborhood bar, and the observation that sometimes the greatest wisdom of life comes from very unexpected places. But, there were two things that I really loved about the book. The first was the obvious love of words and literature -- both by the author, his family members and many of his bar buddies. And, the second was Moehringer's comments about his mother. "All this searching and longing for the secret of being a good man, and all I needed to do was follow the example of one very good woman."

Mr. Moehringer acknowledges his mother with the last words of the book, "It has been my great fortune in writing this book, as in entering this world, to have had her as my primary source."

It's true that mothers are the best source of primary source material for their families. Here's to all of the moms out there (including my own). Happy Mother's Day!

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April 24, 2007

Happy Birthday, Library of Congress

The Library of Congress was officially established on April 24th, 1800. It is currently spread over three buildings in Washington, D.C. It is the largest library in the world. Librarians of Congress must be nominated by the President and confirmed by the Senate. It is only on it's 13th Librarian of Congress, James J. Billington.

The mission of the Library of Congress is: "The Library's mission is to make its resources available and useful to the Congress and the American people and to sustain and preserve a universal collection of knowledge and creativity for future generations." A worthy mission it is.

Oddly, while Mr. Billington is clearly a bright and educated man, he is not actually a librarian -- he doesn't have the necessary Master's degree! Many of the other 12 Librarians of Congress had degrees and were involved in library administration before their appointment, though Mr. Billington was not. It is interesting to me that the only librarian in the nation with a capital "L" has always been a man -- what does that say about our profession and our nation? In my opinion, it's the librarians in the "trenches," struggling to keep up with information and technology overload, balancing our work and our families, and working within a budget to keep our buildings and our collections strong -- these are the people who are librarians with a capital "L!"

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April 23, 2007

It's Not Easy Being Green

Earth Day was yesterday, and, coincidentally, it was as if Spring had really sprung -- the cherry blossoms in D.C. may be long over, but here in Roslyn, everything is in perfect bloom!

How did we celebrate Earth Day? The way we always do -- by circulating books from person to person to person -- saving the trees! And, what about all of the plastic, chemicals and energy that's involved in making the dvd and cds and cases? Sharing is good for the earth, and we're all about sharing -- library materials as well as information.

The Bryant Library not only saves money, but we aim to save the earth as well!

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April 14, 2007

Peace, It's Still Missing

I met an old friend in the city yesterday and we went to the Rubin Museum. There was a timely and beautiful exhibit there called, "The Missing Peace," and it included work from 88 artists from 25 countries who were inspired by the themes and ideals of the Dalai Lama. Although we spent almost two hours there, we didn't get to see everything. Fortunately, there is an online virtual tour! The Dalai Lama Foundation expresses the importance of his ideals in today's world:

"Education for basic human values is very important. No one exists as an isolated individual. Problems far away will eventually affect us. This is not religion, but reality. It is essential to understand the reality of our situation, and develop the basic human values of warmth, affection, kindness and compassion. So this idea of curricula for peace and ethics is very important…not only important, but urgent."

It is especially significant as we consider that tomorrow is Holocaust Remembrance Day; a day to reflect and remember the millions of people who were slaughtered. So many years later, we are still asking, why? The Dalai Lama speaks to universal ideals, that if taught and practiced, would benefit humanity everywhere. Ideals such as: universal connectedness and responsibility, the importance of human dignity, and the need for peace. In remembrance of the past and hope for the future, this is my wish.

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January 15, 2007

Make it Personal

What is the secret to being a good teacher? How do you make a lesson memorable? How do you impress upon others the importance of making a difference? You have to make it personal.

Funny story. January 15, 1971, I was in the first grade. My teacher announced that today was the birthday of a very important man. A man who believed that all people were created equal. A man who believed that all human beings deserved dignity and respect. A man who wasn't afraid to stand up and let others know what he believed. My teacher asked if anyone knew the name of this man. I confidently raised my hand and said, "Abraham Kleinberg, my grandfather." While that was technically true, it wasn't the answer she was looking for, and she went on to teach about the important things that Martin Luther King, Jr. fought and stood for.

Martin Luther King, Jr. did and said a great many memorable things for which he has been honored and we remember today. But, the part that I most admire is that he called for all people to take personal responsibility for the world's wrongs. Everything he wrote and spoke about is still relevant today, but none more than that. We are not just vessels to listen passively and accept what goes on, but instead we need to be active participants in making history. If everyone took personal responsibility for making a difference in his or her own little piece of the world, the world would be a better place. My grandfather was such a man, and in his memory, and in honor of Dr. King, I strive to live up to that ideal.

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November 6, 2006

Election Day

Election Day is tomorrow and I can't wait. I can't wait to stop seeing and hearing all of those stupid commercials on the radio, television, internet and in print. They are meaningless, mean-spirited and do nothing to educate the consumer about whom to vote for. In fact, it makes me want to vote against them all! The good thing is that it makes me want to go to the polls! The one commercial that caught my eye, advertised a website, put out by AARP, called dontvote.com. At first glance, I really hated the name -- what? telling people not to vote?! But, the premise is that if you aren't informed about the candidates, you shouldn't cast your vote at all. However, if you want to educate yourself, their website is a good place to start. Here is the list of candidates in New York -- click on the names to see the issues they stand for. Another good website to check out is from the League of Women Voters (there is a link from our homepage) -- just put in your street address, and they will give you a list of even your local candidates! It is so easy to find out about the issues and the candidates that there really is no excuse. There are some very important issues this year.
Don't just vote -- vote intelligently.

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