The Library Time Travel Conference

I was at an interesting conference recently.  There was a panel featuring Henry David Thoreau, famed naturalist and Walden Pond resident.  William Shakespeare,bard, joined us as did Melville Dewey, inventor and librarian, and Mark Twain, the noted writer and essayist.  The panel also included  50 cent, the noted rapper.  The topic was books, education, and how to present these two topics most effectively.


Moderator:  Henry David, in this era of emerging technologies, how will the book hold up?

Henry David:  "A truly good book teaches me better than how to read it.  I must soon lay it down, and commence living on its hint.  What I began by reading, I must finish by acting."

Moderator:    William, how do we teach our patrons in this new era of social media?

William Shakespeare:  "'Tis better to be brief than tedious."

Moderator:  Mark, how do we best educate youth in this ever changing world?

Mark Twain:  "I have never let schooling interfere with my education."

Moderator::  Melville, what do you think about the Internet?

Melville Dewey:  The eternal conflict of the good and the best with bad and the worst is on.

Moderator:  50, what do you think about libraries and librarians?

50 Cent:   I love you like a fat kid loves cake.

Moderator:  Mark, what should the rule be about checking out kindles and nooks at our libraries?

Mark Twain:  Any fool can make a rule, and any fool will mind it.

Moderator:  Henry, what do you think about drive up hold pick up at the library?

Henry David:  A broad margin of leisure is as beautiful in a man's life as in a book.  Haste makes waste, no less in life than in housekeeping.  Keep the time, observe the hours of the universe, not the cars."

Moderator:  50, would you think we should do more musical programming in our libraries?

50 Cent:  Don't much good come from me, but my music is a gift from God, so I'm gonna use it.

Moderator:  Will, what would you say to people who feel that libraries are over, finished?

William S:  'Tis better to be vile than esteemed When not to be receives reproach of being, And the Just Pleasures lost, which is so deemed, Not by our feeling, but by others seeing For why should others' false adulterate eyes Give salutation to my Sportive blood?


Moderator: ????

Melvelle Dewey:  The librarian must be the librarian militant before he can be the librarian triumphant.

Like I say, it was a great conference.  Wish you could have been there!