If you’re like me, you are still waiting for the magic email that will allow you to vote in the 2005 ALA elections. (And waiting. And waiting. Good ol’ ALA. It worries me that the first day to report not receiving a ballot is April 1. “Hah hah, April Fool, you don’t get to vote!”)
So while we’re waiting, let me make a pitch for Christine Hage for president. (Do read what she has to say, and if you forget her web address, just look it up using our favorite inefficient search engine, where it rises to the top.)
We’re blessed with two strong candidates this year, neither of whom will humiliate us in public or go off on wild tangents unrelated to the work of the association. (Not that this ever happens, right?) But I’m supporting Christine Hage because I know first-hand that Christine is tireless, passionate about libraries, a supporter of intellectual freedom, well-acquainted with the breadth of issues in librarianship, and a common-sense manager and leader.
She has the right ALA experience–PLA president, terms on Council, committees–but I would expect any presidential candidate to have this paperwork. More to the point, when Christine opens her mouth, people listen–and she will never let us down. She is unafraid to ask the difficult questions or to take strong positions, but she has fundamentally good common sense.
Christine has the kind of library background that tells me she would make a terrific president of ALA. She has worked in academic and public libraries, she has supervised adult and circulation services in a public library, and she has been the director of three large public library systems, all of which blossomed during her tenure. She teaches, she presents, she writes–she’s a fabulous communicator. In her present job as a public library director, she has walked her library from a small facility into a hallmark center for her community.
When you get your ballot, please cast a vote for Christine Lind Hage for ALA president, and if someone asks who to vote for, point them to this post. Perhaps by then I’ll even have voted! (And if you run into ballot problems, I’d be happy to start a thread.)
Posted on this day, other years:
- MPOW Presentation to SLA and PLA - 2006
- The Good Vendors - 2006
- Vote for Andy Johnson--and Vote for the Roundtable Amendment - 2006
Thanks, Karen! I was leaning towards Christine Lind Hage before, and your endorsement is helpful.
In particular, I liked that she didn’t fall back on the common “librarian shortage” hyperbole in her LJ statement.
Just so you know, I got my email for balloting on Friday! And, ahem, after 13 years as a member, I think, this will be the first time I vote.
I had dealings with Leslie Berger, Nuff said.