I asked all three ALA candidates one simple, final
question. Why should we vote for them. Ken was the
first and only one to respond so far.
Here is his
answer:
\”The only person who decides who should be
president of the American Library Association is you,
the member and voter. You need to decide first what
you expect from the person you elect as president. If
you read no further, I would ask that you at least check
out my web site www.kenhaycock.com.\”
Pleanty more, so read on…..
I asked all three ALA candidates one simple, final
question. Why should we vote for them. Ken was the
first and only one to respond so far.
Here is his
answer:
\”The only person who decides who should be
president of the American Library Association is you,
the member and voter. You need to decide first what
you expect from the person you elect as president. If
you read no further, I would ask that you at least check
out my web site www.kenhaycock.com.\”
Pleanty more, so read on…..
\”If you want a leader with a proven track record, I
would ask that you support Ken Haycock.
I first joined ALA in 1974 and became actively involved. I
am past president of a division and active in
association-wide committees, I was elected to Council
in 1995 and to the Executive Board in 1999—I am well
versed in the intricacies of ALA and committed to
advancing this profession and its institutions. As a
member of Council I know the policy issues facing ALA;
as a member of the Executive Board I know the
financial situation and political factors affecting our
growth and influence; as a former president and
executive director of other national associations I also
well know the potential for leadership and influence.
Perhaps the most important experiences preparing me
for this position were as an elected president of a
school board and chair of the steering committee for
the Congress on Professional Education, each
requiring political savvy, commitment to bring
communities together and an unwavering focus on
advancing common agendas.
If you want someone who has worked with diverse
groups to bring about positive change…
In previous positions I have chaired committees as
diverse as Race Relations, Sexism Action and First
Nations Indian Education for a large urban city. I have
worked with committees as large as 132 members and
as small as two. I initiated translations of publications
into more than 20 languages and developed
collections in those languages.
ALA needs to move beyond establishing diversity
committees populated with representatives from
diverse groups and start ensuring that these groups
are in fact represented on the policy-making boards
and committees, within the spheres of influence. This
can be accomplished through commitment and
concerted action.
If you want a commitment to advancing
librarianship as a profession…
I have been a librarian for more than thirty years and I
have never had difficulty working to improve standards
and support for the libraries with which I have been
connected. I know how to connect agendas and speak
in the language of decision-makers. Indeed, ALA has
recently informed me that I will be awarded the Herbert
and Virginia White Award this year for my promotion of
public recognition and appreciation of librarianship.
In addition, the recommendations from the Congress
on Professional Education, and the subsequent
actions taken, will strengthen the foundations for the
profession and help to position librarianship as the
21st century profession.
Our members are working in fields as diverse as
opening doors to learning for preschoolers to offering
value-added information services for major
corporations. They are contributing to academic
achievement in schools, colleges and universities, and
leading cultural, educational and recreational activities
in cities and towns. The choices are limitless but the
core values and core competencies of librarianship that
lead to quality service and informed decision-making
remain constant.
If you want an advocate….
Much has been made of my nationality in this election,
yet I have been invited to conduct advocacy training
sessions in 22 states. I have participated in legislative
days in Washington, DC, and worked the Hill. I have
lunched with Senators and had coffee with
congressional aides, at the request of state
associations. ALISE, ARL, MLA, SLA and many other
associations have elected presidents with
backgrounds similar to mine and neither they, nor I,
have any difficulty speaking before Congress. [In fact,
recent presidents have not appeared before Congress
in any case.]
This is an incredibly exciting time for all of us in the
profession and ALA is the premier organization to
support libraries and librarians as central forces in our
communities. With emerging technologies, critical
issues in public policy and the ageing of the
profession, now is the time to move forward. I believe
that my track record in our association’s leadership, in
building consensus and getting results can serve ALA
well.
If elected president of the American Library
Association, together we can—
- position libraries and librarians as critical
educational, economic and social forces—my
experience as a senior education official and as a
participant in ALA legislative days convinces me that
library advocates need not only training and support but
also solid evidence to present to decision-makers that
we do indeed make a difference to learning and the
quality of life in our communities; - guarantee equitable access to
information—as a public library trustee, an elected
municipal councilor, and former school board president
the need to guarantee access to information is
fundamental to my beliefs about democracy, but this
right is only as good as one’s ability to discern and
make effective use of accurate, relevant and current
information, best developed through collaborative
partnerships for information literacy; - recruit, educate and support a diverse
workforce reflective of the communities we
serve—as an administrator it is clear to me that we
need to enhance and complement our scholarship
initiatives through active recruitment strategies with
young people making their first career decisions and
salaries to attract and retain them; - educate professionals based on our core
values and core competencies—as chair of the
steering committee for the Congress on Professional
Education the concerns of the profession are
well-known to me, as is the need to protect
librarianship as a discrete academic discipline critical
to effective public service, supported by access to
continuous life-long learning opportunities for all
members.
This is such an exciting time to be a librarian and an
ALA member. I look forward to working with you to
ensure that librarianship is the 21st century profession
and libraries are vital and integral elements of every
community.
Together, we can make a difference…
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