[OPLINLIST] FW: [STATEIFC:492] FWD NEWS ARTICLE: Libraries to pay tribute on Sept. 11

[Bob Gale]

Sorry for any cross postings!

Robert J. Gale  MSLS, MAPP
Head of Technical Services/Automation System Administrator
Newark Public Library System
101 W. Main Street
Newark, OH 43055
Ph: 740-349-5581 Fax: 740-349-5575
e-mail: rgale@npls.org   http://www.npls.org=20

-----Original Message-----
From: Don Wood [mailto:dwood@ala.org]=20
Sent: Monday, September 08, 2003 11:18 AM
To: State IFC Chairs
Subject: [STATEIFC:492] FWD NEWS ARTICLE: Libraries to pay tribute on
Sept. 11

This www.dailyherald.com  news story was forwarded to you by

Don Wood
dwood@ala.org=20
"Erbes, the assistant director of the Bensenville Community Public
Library, said that belief is what led him to organize Libraries Remember
- a call for libraries across the country to remain open for the 24
hours of Sept. 11."

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Libraries to pay tribute on Sept. 11=20
By Justin Kmitch Daily Herald Staff Writer

As far as Bill Erbes is concerned, "nothing is more opposite of
terrorism
than the ideals of a public library."

Erbes, the assistant director of the Bensenville Community Public
Library, said that belief is what led him to organize Libraries
Remember
- a call for libraries across the country to remain open for the 24
hours of Sept. 11.

The idea has spread to a handful of libraries across the country.

The Bensenville library will close as usual at 9 p.m. on Sept. 10,
but reopen at midnight and remain open until midnight the next night.

"Libraries represent the sum of all human knowledge, and they
represent
equal access to that knowledge," Erbes said. "We at the library
believe
there is no more appropriate commemoration of Sept. 11 than for
libraries
all across the country to be there for their patrons and community."

Patrons will have access to all regular library services during
that time and are encouraged to stop in.

"I doubt we're going to be very busy at 3 a.m.," he said. "But if
someone comes in and wants an inter-library loan at 2:30 in the
morning,
we'll be more than happy to help them."

As of late Friday, 16 libraries from across the country had signed
up to participate.

Charlie Kalogeros-Chattan, director of the Los Alamos County Library
in New Mexico, said she heard about the project a few weeks ago while
her staff was watching a College of DuPage-produced video called,
"Source of Excellence." She said Erbes appeared in a segment at the
end of the video where he explained the project.

"We're going to go back to the old days, where people actually used
the library as a place to read," she said.

Kalogeros-Chattan said her library also will be open for the entire
24 hours. Midnight to 9 a.m. and 9 p.m. to midnight will be devoted
to a community read-a-thon.=20

"I think our patrons and staff have really taken to it," she said.
"We really don't know how many people will show up, but Starbucks
has donated 100 cups of coffee and we're taking them up on it."

In Pocahontas, a rural community in northwestern Iowa, the local
library doesn't have a large enough staff to stay open for 24 hours,
but it's still going to participate.

Rita Samuelson, director of the Pocahontas Public Library, said
it will be open from 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. t o serve their population
of 1,900.

"It's a patriotic gesture that some may not understand, but libraries
are the gateway to information and there's really nothing more
American
than freedom to learn," Samuelson said. "Keeping the doors open is
a great tribute to those who died in the attacks of Sept. 11."

Residents there are invited to several showings of related videos
and documentaries, or to just come in and read quietly.

Erbes said he announced the Bensenville library's initiative in
several professional journals and listservs, and was surprised to
see just 16 other libraries had signed up.

"I'm surprised but not necessarily disappointed," he said. "I'd
like to see this continue for years to come, but I think it's
appropriate
that it starts quiet and low-key and spreads by word of mouth. Time
will tell."

Erbes said the library staff members in Bensenville will volunteer
their time during the extra hours.=20



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