American Library Association Annual Conference

Will Manley, an American Libraries journal columnist, writes this month that the American Library Association (ALA) "is a caring and compassionate professional organization." Proof of that is certainly in the decision by ALA to hold its annual conference this month in the city of New Orleans. Although many other organizations decided to move their conventions to other cities because of the damage of Katrina, ALA held firmly to its commitment to the people and businesses there. This conference will be the first one in the city since the devastating hurricane. It is estimated that the conference will bring $20 million to the city and close to 20,000 librarians. Goodwin's librarian will be one of the 20,000.