2008-04-23

Chautauqua

Chautauqua is an entertaining cultural event -- portrayals of historical figures by actors, usually in an outdoor venue. In early June, Kirkwood Public Library is hosting That's Entertainment! -- a Chautauqua put together by the Missouri Humanities Council. I volunteered in memory of my parents who were big supporters of the Pike County Chautauquas. The summer before he died in 2001, my dad sent me emails each day about what he learned at Chautauqua. I attended the 2005 Chautauqua in Pike County with my mother and kept an online diary.

I'm very excited about the That's Entertainment lineup -- Walt Disney, Thomas Edison, Margaret Mitchell, and P.T. Barnum.

I was first tapped to find people and equipment for lights and sound, but it looks like most of that is going to get pulled in by the person in charge of the facility. So, instead, I'm going to work on the website.

We need money in case anyone is looking for a good cause. Our community was exceptionally generous after the shooting tragedy at City Hall. The normal sources for funds are pretty well dried up, having gone to support the families of the police officers and other victims. We could use some angels from afar. My hope is that Chautauqua will be a healing event. # (0) comments

2008-04-15

A passel of programs

The Computer and Information Technology SIG sponsored or cosponsored 17 sessions submitted to the Missouri Library Association Conference Committee. That's just over twice as many as last year--and I was happy with last year's number. It may be too many sessions, given limited time and space for the conference, but I'm hoping the Conference Committee will appreciate having a choice and being in the position to put things together in a way that makes an exciting conference program. Meanwhile, we're thinking about how to turn some of these into Table Talks or Poster Sessions if there's just no way that all of them can be program sessions.

So, here's how to get lots of progam proposals:

Brainstorm early, involving all the SIG officers and anyone else who wants to play along.
Encourage SIG officers to submit at least one proposal, either a presentation of their own or one by a recruited colleague.
Send the call for proposals to all relevant email lists.
Send a copy of the call for proposals to last year's speakers and encourage each of them, with a personal message, to answer the call.
Be bold -- we wanted a program that required a non-library expert and found a good one with a big name in local circles. Another program will happen only if the Conference Committee is willing to pay a lot of money for a big name, but if the circumstances work out, they might. Both of those required us to approach the speaker and to write up the proposals ourselves.
Be lucky -- at least one program came in through a different pathway than all of the above.

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