\”>Steve Fesenmaier writes \”Lots of news about Sandy Berman this week. First off is the latest, and
finale,
edition of his ALTERNATIVE LIBRARY LITERATURE, co-edited by James P. Danky.
This is the 10th edition – 2000-2001 – and includes some items from the
thriving alt library webzine world. It\’s half as long as the last edition,
but the pieces are all very well chosen. The book is dedicated to various
activist librarians including AFSCME members at the Library of Congress and
LAPL and HCL and SFPL librarians who led the boycott at last year\’s ALA
conference. Hopefully thousands of librarians will buy copies, ensuring that
librarians, directors, and board members know about it and even read it.
Secondly, you can read an interview in the current issue of Utne Reader done
by lead Sandynista Chris Dodge – it is not yet posted but here is the intro:
\”>Steve Fesenmaier writes \”Lots of news about Sandy Berman this week. First off is the latest, and
finale,
edition of his ALTERNATIVE LIBRARY LITERATURE, co-edited by James P. Danky.
This is the 10th edition – 2000-2001 – and includes some items from the
thriving alt library webzine world. It\’s half as long as the last edition,
but the pieces are all very well chosen. The book is dedicated to various
activist librarians including AFSCME members at the Library of Congress and
LAPL and HCL and SFPL librarians who led the boycott at last year\’s ALA
conference. Hopefully thousands of librarians will buy copies, ensuring that
librarians, directors, and board members know about it and even read it.
Secondly, you can read an interview in the current issue of Utne Reader done
by lead Sandynista Chris Dodge – it is not yet posted but here is the intro:
Wild in the Stacks
Radical librarian Sanford Berman advocates for alternative media, library
users rights, and information access
Utne Reader July-August 2002 p. 84
NOT POSTED I typed in.
Interview by Chris Dodge
Meet Sanford Berman, who since the late 1960s has written, spoken, and acted
on his belief that librarians have social responsibilities and that public
libraries can be liberating. In a profession sometimes known for
dispassionate wallflowers, Berman has outspokenly opposed injustices, both
in library practices and in the world at large.
Retired, but far from retiring, the 68-year-old Berman spent 26 years as
head cataloger at Hennepin County Library in suburban Minneapolis. There he
and his Sandynistas. helped make library materials more accessible by
change arcane and otherwise dysfunctional rules, terminology, and practices.
Nationally, Berman continues to argue for policy changes, seeking to make
libraries easier to use and for institutional engagement in addressing
social problems such as homelessness.
Thirdly, if readers know someone in the Twin City Area, they should get them
to send them the cartoon series running in Pulse weekly. \”Gondwanaland\” by
Ken Avidor. ( Check his website at roadkillbill.com the
cartoon is NOT on his website.) Avidor has modeled his character Otto
Berkman after Sandy and Chris Kreisler after Chris Dodge. The current strip
is about a trio of librarians looking for the magic of eye glasses that let
people see dinosaurs.
Fourly, Sandy is working on writing LC about two new needed subjects
headings – \”intelligent design\”, the new hot form of creationism, and
\”mountaintop removal.\” If anyone has information on subject headings for
either areas, they can contact me or Sandy.
Fifely, Sandy is reviewing a new film, \”Bad Girl\”, distributed by Cinema
Guild. It is a state-of-the-art documentary about women who make porno
and graphic art films like Catherine Briellat, director of
\”Romance\”(called the female answer to LAST TANGO IN PARIS) and the two
women who directed BAIS-MOI as well as women who direct female-oriented
porn in California and Denmark.
Lastly, Mitch Freedman, during his presidential speech last week at ALA
thanked Sandy for his lifelong dedication to helping patrons, poor people,
and everyone, calling him his \”conscience\” during his own lofty career. How
about making Sandy the next Librarian of Congress \”
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