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ACTive ALIAproACTiveNumber 223: May 2002ACTive ALIA convenor's column
Library and Information Week 2002, 20-26 May On 1 March 2002, ALIA launched a national archive of success stories. The stories will be used in a major promotion during Library and Information Week, to demonstrate how library use has led to successes in research, learning, business and the community. ALIA encourages all library and information services, in all sectors, to use Libraries change lives! to promote and highlight the importance of library and information services. We also encourage all library and information services to develop public programs and promotions around the theme. This is an opportunity for ALL library and information services throughout the country to celebrate successes and to contribute to the national archive, to build a rich picture of the contribution library and information services make to the fabric of our nation. The national archive will be an ongoing program for the Association. The success stories can be submitted to and viewed at the Libraries change lives! website at http://www.alia.org.au/advocacy/stories/.
Stories on how Libraries change lives All the women who worked in the library and who had lived in that town all their lives told him they didn't know anything about the town's history so he would have to come back in the afternoon to speak with the library director (who had only been working there for a bit over two years). That's how Kevin Yeadon from Canberra, Australia, met me, a librarian at the Yeadon Public Library in Pennsylvania, USA. We did not meet again until 1984, when I spent 18 days in Australia on holiday. He returned to the States the following year when we married and I emigrated to Australia. This is a true story.
Library journeys changed Geoffrey's life Our City Library is a friendly, inviting and interesting place. Veronica from the library has shown me the new Access Centre with its computer and special mouse that I can use. I have my own library card and a bag I helped make for taking home any books, videos or CDs that I select. Something happened to me during the year of 2000. Veronica, Lynne and Jane from the Library asked me and a few friends if we would like to participate in a program called 'Library Journeys'. Every fortnight we would explore a country like Africa, talk about the flight over, what clothes we would need to take, what wonderful animals and birds lived there and the special people who looked different to me. We helped cook food and tasted different dishes from that country and listened to great stories from Adrian. I was given my own passport and proudly wore the Captain's hat in the photo. Part of the program involved music and Jane from the Library who plays the guitar asked me to join her with my harmonica. We played wonderful music from Hawaii, England, Africa, and America. I enjoyed these sessions very much and looked forward to each fortnight. The Library Journey ended with a day trip to Brisbane, visiting the Airport, lunching and playing music at Southbank. I made many new friends at this time and being part of this social group built my confidence and made me more aware of my talents and improved my ability to communicate with others. One of my great loves is music and since the Library Journey I have improved my playing and now have many books of music to play along to. Mum has bought me a beautiful leather case for my music and harmonica. Jane is a special friend to me and now every fortnight I go to the Library and we play music together. Sometimes my friend Peter comes along and sings with us. I now have the confidence to take part in concerts. My mother is very proud of me and says 'I have a new lease on life'. Thank you to all my friends at the Library for making this possible.
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