STAFF

Coeditors Cy Dillon Ferrum College Virginia P.O. Box 1000 Ferrum, Virginia 24088 (540) 365-4428 [email protected] Libraries C. A. Gardner Hampton Public Library January/February/March, 2006, Vol. 52, No. 1 4207 Victoria Blvd. Hampton, Virginia 23669 (757) 727-1218 (757) 727-1151 (fax) COLUMNS [email protected] Cy Dillon 2 Openers Ruth Arnold 4 President’s Column Editorial Board Lydia C. Williams Sara B. Bearss, Ed. 38 Virginia Reviews Longwood University Library Farmville, Virginia 23909 (434) 395-2432 [email protected] FEATURES Ed Lener 5 2005 VLA Conference College Librarian for the Sciences Virginia Tech University Libraries Mary Fran Bell-Johnson 27 Quilting the Story: An Interview with P.O. Box 90001 Donald Davis, Master Storyteller Blacksburg, Virginia 24062-9001 (540) 231-9249 Megan Rhyne 30 PRA Workgroups Do the Heavy Lifting: [email protected] Joint Subcommittee Brings the PRA into the Twenty-First Century Karen Dillon Manager, Library Services D. J. Mathews 32 Archive Preserves County’s Unique Carilion Health System Rural Roots P.O. Box 13367 Christine Stinson and 35 Collaborating to Improve CMS-Based Roanoke, Virginia 24033 George Loveland Courses (540) 981-7258 (540) 981-8666 (fax) [email protected]

Douglas Perry Director Virginia Libraries is a quarterly journal published by the Virginia Library Association whose pur- Hampton Public Library pose is to develop, promote, and improve library and information services and the profession 4207 Victoria Blvd. of librarianship in order to advance literacy and learning and to ensure access to information in Hampton, Virginia 23669 the Commonwealth of Virginia. (757) 727-1153 (extension 104) The journal, distributed to the membership, is used as a vehicle for members to exchange (757) 727-1151 (fax) information, ideas, and solutions to mutual problems in professional articles on current topics [email protected] in the library and information field. Views expressed in Virginia Libraries are not necessarily endorsed by the editor or editorial board. The Virginia Library Association (VLA) holds the copyright on all articles published in Virginia Editor, Virginia Books Libraries whether the articles appear in print or electronic format. Material may be reproduced Sara B. Bearss for informational, educational, or recreational purposes provided the source of the material Senior Editor, Dictionary of is cited. The print version of Virginia Libraries is designed by Lamp-Post Publicity in Meherrin, Virginia Biography Virginia. The electronic version of Virginia Libraries is created by Virginia Tech’s Digital Library The Library of Virginia and Archives and is available at http://scholar.lib.vt.edu/ejournals/VALib or as a link from the 800 E. Broad Street Virginia Library Association web site at http://www.vla.org. Virginia Libraries is indexed in Library Richmond, VA 23219-8000 Literature, a database produced by the H.W. Wilson Company. [email protected] Items for publication and editorial inquiries should be addressed to the editor. Inquiries regarding membership, subscriptions, advertising, or claims should be directed to VLA, P.O. Box 8277, Norfolk, VA 23503-0277. All personnel happenings and announcements should be sent On the cover: Donald Davis, to the VLA Newsletter, Kevin Tapp, Box 7024 Radford University, Radford, VA 24142, ktapp@ master storyteller. radford.edu. The guidelines for submissions to Virginia Libraries are found on page 3. PAGE  VIRGINIA LIBRARIES JANUARY–MARCH, 2005

OPENERS COPA, Cookies, and the Latest Threat to Privacy

by Cy Dillon

y the time you read this, to minors and the effectiveness necessary bureaucracy introduced both the Virginia legis- of filtering software. Opponents by politicians’ desire for good pub- lature’s latest waltz with of the pornography law contend licity, Virginia libraries will comply Bmandatory Internet filtering and that filtering software could pro- with the law, serve their communi- the Google subpoena case will be tect minors effectively enough to ties, and still do everything pos- over. Nevertheless, they combine make the law unnecessary.” So, are sible to protect First Amendment to prod me into belaboring Virginia librarians wrong to oppose man- rights. Libraries readers with my own opin- dated filtering because it doesn’t In the long run, the more dis- ions on our government, computer work? Is it logical to support both turbing effect of the federal efforts data, and individual privacy. COPA and required filtering? to revive a questionable law may The first thing I want to say is be the further erosion of our pri- that the government has confused vacy as Internet users. As we have me about Internet filters. One of seen from the warrantless eaves- our state legislators, prodded by a As we have seen dropping the federal authorities lobbying organization called Focus from the warrantless have initiated as part of the War on the Family, has drafted legisla- on Terror, Washington is not very tion requiring Internet filtering in eavesdropping …, sensitive about spying on U.S. citi- all public libraries receiving state zens. While the investigators in the funding. They do this, we are told, Washington is not very COPA case assured New York Times to protect children from Internet sensitive about spying reporters that no personal informa- pornography because filters work. tion is being sought, Hafner quotes We librarians have tried to explain on U.S. citizens. a Google spokesperson as saying, the faults of filtering and the fool- “‘Google’s acceding to the request ishness of relying on it rather than would suggest that it is willing to supervision and education for those Regardless of the complexity of reveal information about those young people we want to protect. the issue from a librarian’s point who use its services,’ it said in an That stance has been viewed as of view, the filtering debate offers October letter to the Justice De- obstructionist rhetoric by filtering lawmakers the chance to appear to partment. ‘This is not a perception advocates. Now, because the De- be the defenders of family values; Google can accept. And one can partment of Justice has appealed a thus, library policies may well be envision scenarios where queries federal court ruling that the Child made at the state or federal level in alone could reveal identifying in- Online Protection Act of 1998 is the future. There is a certain irony formation about a specific Google unconstitutional, the federal au- in the fact that some of the legisla- user, which is another outcome thorities have subpoenaed search tors most likely to denounce “big that Google cannot accept.’” Is it data from several of the largest In- government” are the first on the too unrealistic to suggest that high ternet search engines to prove that bandwagon of government regula- school English teachers might one filtering does not, after all, work tion of material available to library day be afraid to look up Of Human to block pornography. According patrons. Politics really does make Bondage in a search engine? After to an article by Katie Hafner in strange bedfellows, though refer- all, the FBI might decide that the the January 20th New York Times, ences to that old saw will probably war on porn needs to track down search engine data “would help be filtered out for Virginia’s library BSDM enthusiasts. estimate the prevalence of mate- patrons. Nevertheless, we can be If this possibility concerns you, rial that could be deemed harmful confident that, in spite of the un- Wired.com suggests “cookie man- JANUARY–MARCH, 2005 VIRGINIA LIBRARIES PAGE 

VLA Paraprofessional Forum 14th Annual Conference

Bridging the Information Gap: Preserving Yesterday’s Lessons, Anticipating Tomorrow’s Demands agement.” According to their Janu- ary 20 issue of Wired News, “Those who want to avoid a permanent Sunday, May 21, 2006 – Tuesday, May 23, 2006 record should delete their cookies Holiday Inn Select/Koger South Conference Center at least once a week. Other op- Richmond, Virginia tions might be to obliterate certain cookies when a browser is closed and avoid logging in to other ser- vices, such as web mail, offered by a search engine.” Cookies are, of course, bits of computer code that a Guidelines for Submissions to Virginia Libraries site puts on your machine to track 1 seeks to publish articles and reviews of interest your use of that site. . Virginia Libraries to the library community in Virginia. Articles reporting research, Privacy advocates are also con- library programs and events, and opinion pieces are all considered cerned by Google’s involvement for publication. Queries are encouraged. Brief announcements and because it is a major provider of press releases should be directed to the VLA Newsletter. free email accounts for Internet users. The email correspondence 2. While email submissions are preferred (in the body of the message, would obviously be a vast trove of or as rich text attachments), manuscripts may be submitted as rich personal information with great text files on 3.5-inch computer disks. VLA holds the copyright on all appeal to witch hunters of various articles published in Virginia Libraries. Unpublished articles will be returned within one year. persuasions. If your privacy and that of your library patrons con- 3. Illustrations, particularly monochrome images and drawings, are cerns you, follow this story. This is encouraged and should be submitted whenever appropriate to by no means the last we will hear accompany a manuscript. Illustrations will be returned if requested of government attempts to inter- in advance. cept and screen private, domestic communication. 4. The names, titles, affiliations, addresses, and email addresses of all authors should be included with each submission. Including this All this reminds me: Is your information constitutes agreement by the author(s) to have this library’s integrated system set to information appear with the article and to be contacted by readers retain as little personal informa- of Virginia Libraries. tion about individuals’ reading and Internet habits as possible? 5. Bibliographic notes should appear at the end of the manuscript and Like Google, libraries should be should conform to the latest edition of the Chicago Manual of Style. reluctant to serve as information 6. Articles should be 750-3000 words. gathering utilities for the federal government. Google’s case is under 7. Submit email manuscripts to [email protected] or cgardner@ appeal, but the USA PATRIOT Act hampton.gov. is still the law of the land. VL 8. Virginia Libraries is published quarterly: Jan/Feb/Mar (no. 1); Apr/ May/June (no. 2); July/Aug/Sept (no. 3); and Oct/Nov/Dec (no. 4). Contact the editor for submission timelines. VL PAGE  VIRGINIA LIBRARIES JANUARY–MARCH, 2005

PRESIDENT’S COLUMN 2006 Designated Agenda

by Ruth Arnold

lthough it will not be islative Day. As one of the states website. This group is charged to published until March, I nearest to Washington, D.C., it both plan and implement ways to am writing this column is time that we had a meaningful make www.vla.org more timely Aon the cusp of the new year and presence at this event. Although it and useful to the membership. find myself taking a Janus look at isn’t a direct legislative issue as yet, One major focus area is providing the year past and the one to come. we intend to work with the Library for online services such as pay- 2005 was a banner year for the Vir- of Virginia and the Virginia Public ments, conference registration, ginia Library Association. We ac- Library Director’s Association on and voting. complished some legislative goals, implementing recommendations As always, VLA finances are got our foundation off and run- from the recent Public Library a concern. We are a financially ning, and had a great conference Study commissioned by LVA. sound organization — and we will and a fun celebration. It’s hard to Membership is another major have an external audit this year to top a centennial — surely a once in topic for VLA this year. We need confirm that — but not a wealthy a lifetime experience for most of one. Our income from membership us. dues does not completely cover our So what does 2006 hold for operating costs. We will be review- VLA? At the annual Executive We are a financially ing our dues structure this year, Committee retreat in December, sound organization … but but recognize that we have to bal- VLA leadership discussed the issues ance our need with the ability of that will concern the organization not a wealthy one. our members to pay. Fortunately, for the next twelve months. These we have had several successful con- concerns will become the 2006 ferences to bridge the gap. We need Designated Agenda to be presented to focus both on bringing in new to ensure funding for our scholar- to the VLA Council at the January members and retaining the ones we ships and our legislative activities. meeting. Here are some highlights have. VLA is the only organization Until the Virginia Library Asso- of that document. in the state that serves all types ciation Foundation develops into Our legislative agenda looks sim- of libraries. Our membership is the endowment that we envision, ilar to that of previous years. Mem- our most important asset. If every we need to find sponsors for these bers of the Legislative Committee, member renewed his or her own critical programs. Legislative Liaison Phil Abraham, membership and encouraged one This all sounds like a lot of and many librarians around the other person to join, we could see work. It can’t be accomplished by state have been contacting state a wonderful surge of growth. Di- just a few officers or even a council delegates and senators to lay the rectors in all categories of libraries of some thirty people. It will need groundwork before the start of the can also do a great deal to promote the support and efforts of many. General Assembly on January 11. membership by example and by VLA is an organization of over a This year the governor’s budget paying or supplementing member- thousand individuals. There are included a small increase in State ship dues for their employees. We opportunities for involvement for Aid to Public Libraries — not as need to strengthen our continuing all members who wish to partici- much as we are requesting in our education functions and hope to pate. If you are one of those, please perennial quest for full funding, work more closely with the Library go to the VLA website, download but a welcome recognition of the of Virginia in this area. the Committee Interest Form, and importance of state aid. Plans are We recognize that we need to send it to the VLA office. I look for- in progress to ensure a Virginia strengthen our methods of com- ward to working with you. VL representation at the American munication with members. Already Library Association’s National Leg- a task force is at work to review our JANUARY–MARCH, 2005 VIRGINIA LIBRARIES PAGE  2005 VLA Conference

WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 19 ment of the supernatural was 1:00–6:00 p.m. a further strike against it. (In- terestingly, these same argu- Preconference — What’s ments have been used against on Your Shelves? Library Goosebumps and Harry Pot- Collections for Children ter.) By the 1960s and 1970s, Panelists: Phyllis Haislip, author the industry focused on real- of Lottie’s Courage and Any- ism for children — everything body’s Hero; Sue Corbett, chil- had a cause, providing social dren’s book reviewer, Miami Her- ALL PHOTOGRAPHS BY PIERRE COURTOIS and political commentary and ald, and author of 12 Again and mature themes. Articles in li- Free Baseball; Patricia Muller, brary literature bemoaned a Children’s Consultant, Library loss of innocence and shorter of Virginia; Lorraine Bartlett, childhoods, with children not Willow Oaks Branch Manager, being protected from the real Hampton Public Library; and world by books. There has thus Noreen Bernstein, Youth Services been a long history of struggle Director, Williamsburg Regional between popularity and qual- Library ity. One of the arguments in favor of popular series is that Keynote Address: Claudia Mills, at least children are learning author of the Gus and Gramps to enjoy reading. Yet what is Cokie Roberts proved to be an series and this year’s Virginia Young popular is often poorly written excellent keynote speaker. Readers Winner, 7 x 9 = Trouble!; or stereotypical, and even of poor with an introduction by Ellen Stamper, physical quality. Does the library editorial director for HarperFestival development of popular children’s exist to cater to popular tastes or to fiction series. When Edward Strate- uplift the mind? What happens if a In a panel discussion that ranged meyer founded the Hardy Boys large percentage of the community from the rise of children’s popular (1927) and Nancy Drew (1930) doesn’t find what it needs or wants series fiction in the 1920s to the series, most librarians banned in the collection? One must try to ethics of modern young adult fic- them, thinking that such works balance popularity with quality, tion, panelists shared their experi- kept children from reading good and select the best quality possible ences and frustrations with build- literature. On the infamous “Not from what is popular. ing a strong children’s collection To Be Circulated” list, out of one Sue Corbett told the audience while providing what patrons most hundred titles and sixty-four au- that among the books she reviews, want to read. Helpful handouts thors, one-fifth were published by she’s seeing a domination of what included “Free Access to Libraries Stratemeyer. Early on, one of the will sell in the chain stores. It’s dis- for Minors: An Interpretation of chief guidelines for evaluating a turbing to find licensed characters the Library Bill of Rights,” “Indica- children’s book was “whether a such as Barbie in books promoted tors of Quality,” and “Censorship literary-minded adult would enjoy as “school readers” replacing clas- vs. Selection.” it.” Series fiction was thought to sics like Arnold Lobel’s Frog and Lorraine Bartlett began the dis- contain questionable morals and Toad. Indeed, licensed characters cussion with an overview of the unrealistic characters; the involve- and series spin-offs seem to make PAGE  VIRGINIA LIBRARIES JANUARY–MARCH, 2005

Author Claudia Mills and editor Ellen Stamper participated in the preconfer- ence session on children’s collections.

up the majority of paperbacks. Not and book jackets fail to mention community and be inclusive, not all are badly written, but when topics that might disturb readers, exclusive. There’s an incredible many do not even include the such as self-mutilation, incest, and developmental spectrum between real author’s name, one can tell suicide. Though there has been twelve and eighteen. Consider also the publisher isn’t thinking about much attention paid to sex and vi- whether the book has integrity. (Is quality. There has also been a re- olence, there are other things that the information accurate? Is the cent glut of celebrity books, many cause concern. In Olive’s Ocean, book non-exploitative and honest? of which are drivel and difficult the heroine repeatedly lies to her Does it deal with real needs and to read. There are a few good ce- mother about important issues issues and portray real people, not lebrity authors, such as Jamie Lee such as her near-drowning — for no stereotypes?) If something is con- Curtis and John Lithgow. But even reason, and without consequences. troversial, one needs to be able to if some are excellent, most of these Lying and stealing are just part of explain why the book is part of the books aren’t coming from people the landscape in Chasing Vermeer, collection. Boy Meets Boy has a gay trained to work in children’s litera- in which two children trying to protagonist who’s both the captain ture, with any knowledge of what save a Vermeer mistakenly steal of the football team and the home- children need or what a childlike another painting that isn’t the one coming queen. The book deals with point of view entails. Another dis- they’re looking for — with no men- themes of love and caring, cover- turbing trend is the increasingly tion of returning it. The characters ing a wide range of relationships. blurry line between young adult in these books feel no remorse and Though there may be some lying and adult fiction. One editor has don’t seem to realize that they’ve and inappropriate behavior, the said that there are no taboos any- done anything wrong. Perhaps it book treats real issues and charac- more. Publishers want to push the might be a good idea to provide ters with emotional depth, dealing borders, and sexual content is now ratings, with explanations, for with significant themes that kids acceptable; with sexually active books as we do for movies. care about. The best books are those middle school students, to ignore Pat Muller then described the that promote a positive self-image the situation is to be irrelevant. ethical aspect of selection policies. and a feeling of normalcy — a recog- This topic provided a natural What values are needed for us to nition that human feelings belong segue into Phyllis Haislip’s con- function effectively as librarians? to all. It’s also important that books cerns. Moral and ethical issues in Students don’t leave their First allow readers to learn from experi- young adult and children’s litera- Amendment rights at the school- ences that we would never want ture abound — but the consequenc- yard gate or the door of the library. children to have to deal with in es of unethical behavior often seem When selecting titles, consider the real life — such as Speak, about a girl to be lacking. Further, reviewers developmental needs of the whole who must cope with being raped. JANUARY–MARCH, 2005 VIRGINIA LIBRARIES PAGE 

Noreen Bernstein spoke about Dr. Dan, the Bandage Man, complete but that one should be sure to the didactic nature of children’s lit- with six bandages. Ancillary ma- look at the whole context of the erature in the eighteenth century. terial can provide another way to work. Lying without consequences These cautionary tales, intended to amuse and educate a child, appeal- is one thing, but one can’t just shape behavior, could be very ex- ing to different learning styles. It count up examples of unethical treme, such as the story of the child is also an effective way to compete behavior without looking at the who told lies and then burned to with other media that clamor for a work as a whole and considering death. The manner in which moral child’s attention — particularly in both the voices of characters and questions are treated in literature big stores like Wal-Mart, where the the attitude of the implied author paints a picture of contempo- book has only seconds to grab the (the artistic sensibility behind the rary society. Children’s literature viewer’s attention. Retailers have book). Does the book support or boomed in the 1950s, partly fueled a certain amount of clout in what challenge the actions and attitudes by the National Defense of Edu- gets published, even to the extent of the characters? It’s important as cation Act, as educators fought to of changing the way a book is illus- an author to strike a balance — to improve science and math skills in trated. The challenge is to publish write the best book you can aes- response to Sputnik. Literature soon good books while struggling to get thetically, but also consider the followed suit, and people began to a backlist that will continue to sell. message. look critically at the white world Children’s publishers want to keep — C. A. Gardner, Hampton Public of children’s literature. Lyndon B. in touch with teachers and librar- Library Johnson’s Great Society legislation ians, who know children’s needs provided multicultural focus and and can address holes in subject money for libraries. However, once matter. THURSDAY, OCTOBER 20 the shopping malls and huge chain Claudia Mills’s keynote ad- bookstores took over, the face of dress brought out the concept of a 10:00–11:30 a.m. publishing changed. Big bookstores Children’s Triangle: the ideal book Opening General Session were replacing librarians and edu- should offer a convergence of qual- cators as the first contact between ity, popularity, and ethics. It’s very VLA President Ruth Kifer opened readers and publishers. The chang- difficult to find a single book that the session with recognitions of the ing tax consequences of inventory addresses all these factors. Some Conference Committee, chaired drastically reduced the backlist, beautifully written books may be by Polly Khater, and Pat Howe’s while the new emphasis on appeal- ethically problematic, such as The Anniversary Committee. The two ing to the public paved the way Chocolate War, which is not only combined to plan an exceptional for domination by recognizable bleak and depressing, but also has experience for VLA’s centennial. series. Of course, John Newbery characters who express a misogyny John Moorman, director of knew the value of marketing back that’s never addressed. Some works the Williamsburg Regional Li- in the eighteenth century, when might be ethically exemplary or po- brary and a leading library advo- he included patented medicines in litically correct, but very formulaic, cate, welcomed the attendees to children’s books. These days, Dis- such as the trend of urban books Williamsburg, encouraging us, for ney has created a whole generation that show every possible ethnic- the sake of the economy, to “take that sees fairy tales in a certain ity working together. VOYA Journal more than a little home with you.” way. Can our purchasing choices has incorporated a two-point score Chris Marston, chair of the impact how many good versus bad for quality and popularity in their Library of Virginia Board, also books are published? Should we reviews; but this only measures the welcomed the group, wishing the fill our shelves with Barbie just be- reviewer’s prediction of popularity, association a happy birthday. Mar- cause that’s what children want? and still lacks a category for ethics. ston indicated that he was pleased Ellen Stamper, editorial director Of course, this would be the most with the role LVA has played in for HarperFestival, spoke about the problematic to rate; just witness supporting VLA and urged the at- trend of packaging books with non- the difficulty in rating movies, in tendees to “build on the partner- book items. The practice goes back which a five-second glimpse of an ship of all libraries.” He recognized to Newbery himself, who com- earth mother’s breast garners an VLA’s role in providing scholar- bined instruction and amusement “R,” while a smutty movie that ships and upheld “Infopowering with such products as A Little Pretty relies on allusions instead of bad the Commonwealth” as a key ad- Pocket-Book, which came with a ball words is rated “PG.” Mills noted vocacy issue for all of us this year. for boys or a pincushion for girls. that it’s important to reclaim an Marston concluded by saying that In 1951, Golden Books published ethical dimension in literature, the recently completed Himmel & PAGE  VIRGINIA LIBRARIES JANUARY–MARCH, 2005

VLA President Ruth Kifer waits to open this year’s exhibits.

Wilson study of public libraries in who helped our infant nation win literally thousands of women who the commonwealth should help the Revolutionary War. went to war with the troops. These us build a consensus about the Beginning with praise for the and other examples convinced ­future. libraries and librarians who helped the attendees that, as Abigail The VLA Foundation an- in her research, Roberts explained Adams wrote, “Patriotism among nounced gifts of $2,000 from the that the letters of Abigail and John women is the most disinterested of Southwestern Information Net- Adams were the inspiration for ­virtues.” work Group (SWING) and $1,000 her book. She recounted the “in- After her remarks, Roberts al- in the name of Cokie Roberts, the credibly hard work” of finding the lowed a generous portion of time keynote speaker for this session. documents that told the stories she for open questions from the audi- Laura Speer, chair of the VLA wanted to relate about the work of ence. She discussed topics such Awards Committee, introduced the women behind the scenes who as the chance of a woman being Dr. George M. Van Sant, who was “kept the Colonial Army together.” elected president and the replace- awarded lifetime membership in She found historical treasures in ment of Sandra Day O’Connor on the association for his efforts on “dusty boxes in the basements of the Supreme Court. Roberts, whose behalf of his local public library. historical societies” as well as in sincerity and openness appealed Then President Ruth Kifer in- carefully kept archives. to everyone, received a stand- troduced keynote speaker Cokie Roberts shared some highlights ing ovation from the appreciative Roberts, recognized as one of the of the book, including Martha ­audience. most respected broadcast report- Washington’s role at Valley Forge, — Cy Dillon, Stanley Library, Fer- ers working today. Roberts is the Deborah Franklin’s success in run- rum College author of Founding Mothers, a col- ning the Postal Service while Ben lection of stories about the women was in Europe, and the courage of JANUARY–MARCH, 2005 VIRGINIA LIBRARIES PAGE 

Virginia Opera Company performers sparkled at the 3M-sponsored Birthday Banquet, showing us the emotional power of song.

1:00–1:45 p.m. Did He Serve? Successfully Researching Civil War Military Records Presenter: Carolyn L. Barkley, Vir- ginia Beach Public Library; sponsored by the Local History Forum, Pat Cook, Chair and electronic. She discussed both tary and pension files for interested Northern and Southern resources researchers. Carolyn Barkley summarized the and detailed the idiosyncrasies of — Susan M. Catlett, Perry Library, four key points that researchers searching each type of record. Bar- Old Dominion University must keep in mind if they are to kley also identified the utility of successfully research Civil War mil- one resource over another, as well itary records. These points include as the most useful order in which 1:00–2:45 p.m. making sure that your ancestor was to search the records. Scanning the Future eligible to serve, verifying where The session concluded with a he served, looking at the military review of why developing a solid Presenters: George Needham, OCLC records, and then viewing the pen- research strategy is the key to suc- Vice President, Member Services, and sion files. cessfully locating genealogical Nancy Davenport, President, National Using her own genealogical information in Civil War military Council on Library and Information research as an example, Barkley records. While the session was a Resources walked the capacity audience whirlwind tour, Barkley capably through the various genealogi- demonstrated the richness of in- George Needham opened the pre- cal resources available, both print formation available in those mili- sentation with a review of the PAGE 10 VIRGINIA LIBRARIES JANUARY–MARCH, 2005 response to the “OCLC Environ- speed and ease of access to their that we turn around the familiar mental Scan: Pattern Recognition” holdings. concern for the “library as place” report of 2003. The project was Computer gamers were Need- and think of “place as library.” In intended to allow OCLC’s stake- ham’s example of the tendency to- other words, we have to meet our holders to “all be on the same ward collaboration. They compete users’ needs where they are, physi- page about the future,” but it also to score highest in complex games, cally and virtually. became the basis of a book and of but they readily share secrets and Second, to make the most of countless presentations. resources while encouraging re- For the scan, OCLC conduct- search, we need to consider schol- ed hundreds of interviews with arship and its cost. We specifically members of the library have to examine and help world, reviewed 300 ar- change how scholars com- ticles, convened a vari- municate and publish. ety of focus groups, and The third area of con- examined library and cern for Davenport is pro- information spending viding third-party safe stor- for 29 countries compris- age for scholarly literature. ing 60% of the world’s Publishers do not archive population and 85% of the results of researchers, its economic output. The particularly digital publi- resulting report looked at cations, so libraries have a five “landscapes” — social, new version of an old role economic, technological, to define. We have to learn research and learning, and how to focus our collec- libraries. tions to the greatest benefit As the technological of our users. landscape has changed, Davenport’s final point libraries can no longer as- concerned leadership de- sume that they are the sole velopment. She asked what sources of scarce informa- an MLS graduate will need tion. Information is ubiq- Noted critic Alan Cheuse addressed the to know when she enters uitous and inexpensive, but not future of the literary canon. the workforce, and a lively discus- necessarily organized. Among all sion followed. Some topics advocat- the landscapes, three trends appear ed by the audience were: digital ar- dominant: self-sufficiency, disag- discoveries with the whole gaming chiving, research behavior, brand- gregation, and collaboration. community. ing “place as library” so the library Needham held up Google’s As their role evolves, libraries does not disappear, cataloging new desire to “organize the world’s in- are challenged to become both content delivery media, creating formation and make it universally physical and virtual “third spaces.” game-like computer exercises to accessible and useful” as a model That is, they are neither work nor teach research skills, and collection response to the trend toward self- home, but attractive places to learn development in a media-rich envi- service. Information seekers want and socialize. ronment. to get fast, free, and simple results. Needham concluded by warn- This challenging session gave at- They also want just the piece of ing us to be wary of people’s fond- tendees in all stages of their careers information they seek, so librar- ness for what they remember about something to think about, but few ians cannot ignore the tendency libraries from the past. In spite of were downcast leaving the room. toward disaggregation. According that past success, we must rethink Librarians, so long considered tied to Needham, “Convenience will our rules and habits, addressing to the past, have learned to find always trump quality, so it is a the future head-on rather than let- invigoration in the potential of the librarian’s job to make getting the ting it “happen to us.” future. answer convenient.” Just as World- Nancy Davenport responded to — Cy Dillon, Stanley Library, Fer- Cat has become searchable in a Needham’s presentation by outlin- rum College variety of other services, libraries ing four areas that libraries and need to have their web resources librarians need to address in the linked from other sites, offering next few years. First, she suggested JANUARY–MARCH, 2005 VIRGINIA LIBRARIES PAGE 11

2:00–2:45 p.m. Government Information: Who Needs It? You Do! Presenter: Barbie Selby, Regional Librar- ian, University of Virginia

Barbie Selby, current chair of the Federal Depository Library Coun- cil, an advisory group to the Public Printer, issued a challenge to the audience to consider new visions and roles for federal depository libraries and librarians. Selby had just returned from the fall Deposi- tory Conference in Washington, D.C., where Public Printer Bruce James of the U.S. Government Printing Office met with several hundred depository librarians to discuss new visions for the pro- gram in light of an increasingly digital environment. In the past, depository libraries brought government information

to the people by housing large print and microfiche collections in designated Congressional dis- tricts. As government information increasingly becomes available on- line, the need for depository librar- ies in a traditional sense has been questioned. The functions of such libraries seem ever-changing, often creating more questions than an- swers. James recently challenged the depository community to help the Government Printing Office define a new vision for the pro- gram and provide ideas for retool- ing the way government informa- tion is accessed and preserved for the general public. Selby shared several key points of discussion at the conference that may help in defining this “new vi- sion.” They include: • Roles for federal depository li- Top, Chris Arbo discusses her remarkable illustrations. braries in a nonexclusive envi- Above, Dr. Qadir Abdus-Sabur discussed reaching Muslim library patrons. ronment PAGE 12 VIRGINIA LIBRARIES JANUARY–MARCH, 2005

Paws to Read is a popular children’s program at Chesapeake Public Library.

• Managing collections and deliv- tative access to government in- tendees developed and discussed a ering content formation, and increasingly want number of ways to reach new goals: • Deploying expertise to be able to obtain information • Focus on the customer • Adding value when they need it, 24-7; at home, • Collaborate with others (GPO, Selby also shared comments work, or school; and in a variety of other libraries, Google, etc.) from Ann Miller of Duke Universi- formats. • Increase flexibility in providing ty regarding user needs and expec- In attempting to merge the chal- and designing services tations that may well be different lenges of a digital depository envi- • Expand expertise via continuing in an online environment. Users ronment and the perceived expec- education opportunities expect free, accurate, and authori- tations of users, the conference at- • Think creatively; be innovative JANUARY–MARCH, 2005 VIRGINIA LIBRARIES PAGE 13

• Proactively market government 3:00–3:45 p.m. a collaborative effort between the information (which led to a rath- Dollywood Foundation and local Growing Readers: How We Do It er unique rendition of a newly sponsors to provide registered chil- conceived FDLP song by Selby) Presenters: Tanya High-Brooks, Success dren with a free book each month Selby encouraged different types by 6; Kathy McNalley, Dolly Parton’s until their fifth birthday at a total of libraries to consider becoming Imagination Library; Joan Wabschall, cost to the local sponsor of $27 per new depositories and explained Reach Out and Read; Sally Warbur- child each year. that some libraries are deciding to ton, Reading Is Fundamental All four presenters clearly de- become “digital depositories” by scribed complex materials logically focusing on providing information The panel members gave overviews and succinctly. Each presenter pro- and access without acquiring the of four national programs that pro- vided ways for interested audience traditional print collections. mote literacy and reading to young members to find out more informa- Change at this level is never children and their parents. The tion about her organization. The easy, but it presents opportunities four programs include Dolly Par- overall interaction between the for new ideas and a fresh approach ton’s Imagination Library, Reach panel and the audience was lively, to ensuring the each citizen has Out and Read, Reading Is Funda- engaging, and informative. free permanent access to govern- mental, and Success by 6. — Susan M. Catlett, Perry Library, ment information. To learn more Sally Warburton began the ses- Old Dominion University about the conference and a new sion with a discussion of Reading Is vision for the depository program, Fundamental. She emphasized that Census 2010 and the American check out a video of the Public RIF is not just for those children Community Survey Printer’s remarks at http://www. at financial risk, but also for chil- vodium.com/goto/gpo/fdl.asp. dren at risk for a variety of broadly Presenter: Timothy Jones, U.S. Bureau — Janet Justis, Old Dominion Uni- defined reasons. She referred par- of the Census versity ticipants to http://www.rif.org for more information. Anyone who has ever filled out Success by 6, presented by a census long form knows the The Librarian and the Genealogist Tanya High-Brooks, is a national detailed types of questions asked. Should Be Friends initiative to mobilize community CEOs, small businesses, and eco- Presenter: Jean L. Cooper, University support for children during the nomic development planners anx- of Virginia Library formative years, from concep- iously wait for the data, only to find tion to age six. Born Learning is it quickly out of date. The decen- The librarian has nothing to fear a part of the national campaign nial census only comes around but the genealogist. You all know to promote early literacy as well every ten years, and it takes three them, the patrons with the little as increased literacy for child- to five years to produce detailed suitcases on wheels that cause care providers. More information cross-tabulations. even the most seasoned librarians can be accessed at http://www. Timothy Jones, Program Ana- to cringe and beat a path for the bornlearning.org. lyst for the Census Bureau, shared water cooler. Fear not, the geneal- Joan Wabschall presented the plans for the 2010 Census, in ogy patron is no different than any Reach Out and Read program that which the American Community other patron. Librarian, you will utilizes the professional provider Survey (ACS) will replace the tra- not fail. relationship between a pediatrician ditional long form. Basic data for Jean Cooper addressed these is- and parents to promote reading. A Congressional districting will be sues during her presentation and three-prong approach involving obtained by the short form. The opened up some minds and eyes. new books, professional provider ACS is an attempt to acquire de- Armed with the right questions advice to parents on the value of tailed data on a timelier basis by and tools, the librarian and the reading, and a literacy-rich waiting using sampling methods that cre- genealogist can communicate and room environment encourages lit- ate estimates that better capture occupy the same space. The patron eracy development. the current state of local commu- is doing real research and if the li- Kathy McNalley began her pre- nities. It will serve as a continuous brarian tears down the wall, the re- sentation on Dolly Parton’s Imagi- survey, giving characteristics of wards can be deeply gratifying. Be- nation Library with a short video, the population and housing with ware, you just might get hooked. which is available at http://www. updates each year. — Jeanie L. Langford, Appomattox imaginationlibrary.com/video. The ACS was tested from 1996– Regional Library htm. The Imagination Library is 2004. State data was provided PAGE 14 VIRGINIA LIBRARIES JANUARY–MARCH, 2005 every year, and some data was col- that included fiction readings and lected for large areas from 2000 to insights into the creation of their the present. The ACS focuses on latest books. characteristics, not actual counts. Edward Falco, author of the new It is estimated that costs for the novel Wolf Point, has won awards 2010 Census could be reduced by for his poetry and short stories, $1 billion by using ACS in- collected in such volumes as stead of the traditional long Sabbath Night in the Church form. ACS also attempts to of the Piranha, Sea Island, establish better contacts and In the Park of Culture, to with local government offi- name but a few. Falco cur- cials when surveying com- rently teaches in Virginia munities. Tech’s MFA program. Falco A new release of data is is enjoying his first book expected in August 2006. tour. The primary goal is to Before reading from Wolf sample three million ad- Point, Falco shared informa- dresses. Profiles will occur tion about his writing pro- every year for communities cess. He begins with voice, with populations of 65,000 character, and situation; or more. Smaller communi- after working for a while, he ties will need three- to five- can tell if his ideas are reso- year accumulations of data nant, and they begin to de- for statistically relevant velop organically. He doesn’t profiles. ACS also plans to write from an outline, find- provide ranking tables for ing that it makes his writing states, an idea that is very feel dead on the page. He popular with the media. writes from deep interest in While this sounds like a his characters, a place, or a very promising alternative situation — and his thrill in to traditional census sur- finding out what happens is veying, there is one large a reader’s thrill. He enjoys obstacle. Jones indicated listening to his characters that funding for the ACS and being surprised by what is in jeopardy, and that the happens. Wolf Point not only program has never had full surprised but also worried funding that would ensure him, as the characters took long-term success. Despite the novel into a darker and limited funding, the test- darker place — but he trust- ing period has proved to be ed the characters and let very encouraging. While the story shape itself. Falco there are some strong sup- also says that writing comes porters of the funding in both from observation of Congress, including mem- the world and from uncon- bers Wolf and Davis, passage may Banquet attire included the height scious places, when something in be an uphill battle. At the time of of fashion. the outside world connects with the conference, the Census Bureau one’s inner emotional world, as in was operating under a continuing T. S. Eliot’s “objective correlative.” A Reading and Discussion by resolution pending final debate A lot of the imagery and themes Two Virginia Writers and passage of appropriations in in Wolf Point grew out of a distress- Congress. Presenters: Edward Falco and Susann ing evening that Falco had wit- — Janet Justis, Old Dominion Uni- Cokal nessed, in which a young man on versity drugs had beaten up his girlfriend Two Virginia authors collaborated and swum away from the police. to provide an entertaining session Yet when asked whether the story JANUARY–MARCH, 2005 VIRGINIA LIBRARIES PAGE 15

Every birthday party needs a cake. is about himself, Falco must answer know where things are going. She a while that she was also writing that he never writes about himself, is continually surprised by char- about her mother: that the story though his experiences necessar- acters and the way they can mir- of the beautiful Danish red-haired ily work their way into his writing, ror things that occur in her own model was the story of her parents’ if in no other way than as a point life. In her first novel, Mirabilis, a romance. Though much about the of access into his characters — a sculptor’s chisel slips and opens his novel changed, Cokal was glad way for his concerns, conscious or hand. Once he can see inside it, he to have written through the 150 unconscious, to emerge onto the can’t work. Cokal herself had sliced pages she had to abandon to reach page. her foot open in a home accident the level of understanding she fi- Susann Cokal, a professor in and was unprepared for the sight of nally achieved about her charac- VCU’s MFA program, has recently what lay inside. After writing the ters — and herself. published the novel Breath and novel, Cokal also realized that the — C. A. Gardner, Hampton Public Bones. Her previous novel, Mira- character of a walled-in anchoress Library bilis, was partly inspired by a year actually mirrored Cokal’s relation- in Poitiers, France, where she stud- ship with her mother. ied medieval history, art history, Her current novel, Breath and 4:00–4:45 p.m. and literature. Her stories have Bones, grew out of her relation- Wartime Veterans Illuminate appeared in Hayden’s Ferry Review, ship with her parents, who passed Twentieth-Century America Bellevue Literary Review, Gulf Stream, away unexpectedly. She began by and Prairie Schooner, among others. telling herself stories she thought Presenter: Diane Kresh, Library of In contrast to Falco, Cokal says her father would enjoy about rail- Congress that she’s a big outliner who may roads, old west ghost towns, and produce as many as seventeen an orphan train. While she knew The step is slower, the joints are outlines per draft. The story shifts she was writing about her father’s stiff, and the face is wrinkled, but as she writes it, and she needs to fascinations, she didn’t realize for the eyes are afire and the mind is PAGE 16 VIRGINIA LIBRARIES JANUARY–MARCH, 2005

quick. This is the image of our war- time veterans as the recount their stories. Normandy, Okinawa, Leyte Gulf, Hamburger Hill, Saigon, Kuwait, Bosnia, and Bagdad — the veterans know them well. Now they face the cruelest enemy of all — time. Time has come to silence their voices and erase their memories. Diane Kresh and the Library of Congress are defeating the march of time. Through the Veteran’s His- tory Project, America’s wartime history will be preserved and made available to future generations. Kresh inspired and motivated all those present to become involved. Get your library involved and con- tact those veterans’ groups — time is marching. The project is easy to do and the memories will be price- less. Check the website, www.loc. gov/vets, and be inspired. — Jeanie L. Langford, Appomattox Regional Library Caryl Gray recognizes Past President Nolan Yellich.

Caroline Parr and Donna Cote enjoy the banquet. JANUARY–MARCH, 2005 VIRGINIA LIBRARIES PAGE 17

Gotta dance!

FRIDAY, OCTOBER 21 and libraries. Designed as a series olds and their families; involving of three evenings that alternated the entire family should increase 9:00–9:45 a.m. between the aquarium and the reading readiness skills and the oceanfront library branch, Waves, frequency of reading to children. Waves, Words & Wonder Words & Wonder was so success- The building blocks of the three Presenters: Jennifer Labows, Virginia ful that another grant has been events were designed to match Aquarium & Marine Science Center, awarded to continue the program Virginia’s Foundation Blocks for and Jenefer Snyder, Virginia Beach this school year. Early Learning and the Kindergar- Ready to Learn The collaborators chose to ten Standards of Learning. In ad- focus on children who spent the dition to increasing literacy skills, Waves, Words & Wonder is a lit- school year with three agencies: the programs would increase the eracy program put together by Head Start, Early Discovery (the children’s science readiness skills the Virginia Aquarium & Marine Virginia Beach public school pre- and self-confidence. Science Center, Virginia Beach school initiative), and the Judeo- Before each encounter, aquari- Public Library, and the Virginia ­Christian Outreach Center Ocean- um educators and librarians visited Beach Ready to Learn Team. Team front Preschool. All three centers the preschools to promote the pro- members received a seed grant were located fairly close to both gram and assess what the children of $5,000 from the Institution of the aquarium and the oceanfront already knew. However, the group Museum and Library Services as library branch, making it more environment might have led to part of the 21st Century Learner likely that families would be able kids raising their hands if they saw program, which focuses on col- to participate. The target audience their friends doing so. In future, laborations between museums for the program was four-year- the librarians and aquarium edu- PAGE 18 VIRGINIA LIBRARIES JANUARY–MARCH, 2005

VLA members know how to celebrate a century of library advocacy. cators will partner with teachers letter “S” stamped on their hands a storyteller (children received to work individually with students as a visual reminder, and there Baby Beluga by Raffi), crafts such for pre-survey information. were crafts and snacks to take as a colored picture frame with a The first event took place at the home. photo of each family, and puzzles Virginia Aquarium & Marine Sci- Event two took place at the of whales. Educators discovered ence Center and focused on the Oceanfront Area Library, intro- that a forty-five-minute IMAX letter “S.” Session attendees wit- ducing the letters “L” and “O” movie was too much for this age nessed some of the décor from that (through Owlex, the great horned range at 7:30 p.m. evening — a series of signs with pic- owl, who was visiting from the This year, the program will be tures and words such as “Splash,” aquarium). A musical storytime subtitled “Putting the Sea in Litera- “Sting Ray,” “Seal,” “Shiny,” and (complete with puppets and flute) cy.” The number of target children “Sea Turtle.” There were interac- featured Commotion in the Ocean will expand from 148 to 285. tive touch tanks where the chil- by Giles Andreae and David Woj- — C. A. Gardner, Hampton Public dren could meet sting rays, sea towycz, copies of which the chil- Library turtles, and snails, and one of the dren took home. Other activities evening’s crafts involved making included bookmaking, a scavenger sea turtles from paper plates, with hunt, and a craft — opossum door 10:00–10:45 a.m. different stations for the legs, tail, hangers — that children worked Disc(k)-Based Technology: and head to ensure that the family on while parents filled out evalua- The Past, the Future made it to all the stations. A story- tions. teller provided entertainment, and The third event took place at the Presenter: Scott Piepenburg, Hampton each child received a copy of 1001 aquarium in March, focusing on University Things to Spot in the Sea by Katie the letter “W,” with events includ- Daynes, Anna Milbourne, and Teri ing the IMAX movie Whales, the Scott Piepenburg from Hampton Gower. Attending children had the Whale World exhibit, live animals, University gave a fast-moving his- JANUARY–MARCH, 2005 VIRGINIA LIBRARIES PAGE 19

Say, can’t we get in alphabetical order? tory of audio and video media for- The presenter’s ability to elabo- tion Library in her home region of mats, explaining some of the eco- rate on the technical problems re- Sevier County, Tennessee, to give nomic and artistic concerns that lated to converting one medium to children from birth to age five the have fostered rapid obsolescence, another, as well as his understand- chance to get excited about read- cataloging problems, and other ing of the economic considerations ing. A panel of educators selects woes for librarians and collectors behind format changes, made this age-appropriate books that are sent alike. Beginning with the groove session go by much too quickly. to resident children once a month. technology of early cylinder and The discussion of the current for- The books are designed not only disk recorders, Piepenburg led the mat struggle between high-density to increase reading skills, but also large audience to consider gains in DVD and Blu-ray disks left attend- to promote self-confidence and accuracy, compactness, and effi- ees wondering about how long our appreciation of art, the imagina- ciency as audio and video record- DVD collections would be in de- tion, diversity, and other positive ing evolved toward digital discs. mand by our users — and what to values. The program was such a The potential length of record- do when that time comes. success that the Dollywood Foun- ings also figured in the process he — Cy Dillon, Stanley Library, Fer- dation now makes it possible for described, such as the long-playing rum College any region to recreate it. The only recordings that developed out requirements are that any resident of the need to capture a typical preschooler from birth to age five Dolly Parton Imagination Library symphony on one disk. Without will be eligible, and that the cham- spending time with more esoteric Presenters: Christy Crouse, Regional pion (the organization sponsoring formats such as wire recorders and Director, Dolly Parton’s Imagination the Imagination Library) will cover eight-track tapes, Piepenburg made Library; Sherry J. Bright, Buchanan the cost of books and mailing (an it clear that changes in technology County Public Library average of $27 per child per year). always have both advantages and After Christy Crouse discussed disadvantages. Dolly Parton started the Imagina- the Imagination Library, Sherry PAGE 20 VIRGINIA LIBRARIES JANUARY–MARCH, 2005

Anita Jennings was one of many skilled presenters.

Robert Wedgeworth, undaunted by a mid-program fire drill, asked us to consider whom the libraries of the future will serve.

Bright provided details on how one community had implemented it. Thirty community leaders visited Buchanan County Public Library for an information session. The program was deemed especially important because forty percent of the adult community had no high school diplomas. The Friends of Bu- chanan County Public Library now oversee the Imagination Library been many takers — the children imaginationlibrary.com or email and fund it separately through want to read the books so badly [email protected]. grant money, donations, and fund- they’ll find a family member to — C. A. Gardner, Hampton Public raisers. Administratively, running help them, whether it’s an older Library the program mostly involves main- sibling, cousin, aunt, or uncle. Far taining a database. Once a month, from competing with the library, Show Me the Money: Writing a the community will submit new the program has resulted in a lot of Successful Grant Proposal applications over the web. The pro- positive PR for Buchanan County. gram automatically removes five- Currently, there are over 185,000 Presenters: Susanna C. Spencer, Youth year-olds and weeds out people children participating in the Imagi- Services Librarian, Culpeper County submitting more than once. The nation Library in 532 communities Library, and Nancy Buck, Out- Dollywood Foundation ships the of 41 states. The state of Tennessee reach Services Coordinator, Central books to the children based on the has recently adopted Dolly Parton’s Rappahannock Regional Library orders placed. Imagination Library as a statewide Bright says the program is so program; the governor has set up Susanna C. Spencer and Nancy popular that Buchanan County el- a private foundation, Governor’s Buck teamed up to talk about the ementary school children sign up Books from Birth, to cover half the basics of grant writing and share their brothers, sisters, cousins, and registration costs. Some counties some of their success stories as friends. All the books arrive with even put the application in new well as some of the resources they a sticker that lets the child know mother packets at hospitals. Dolly use. A capacity crowd of interested that the book came through the Parton has promised to attend the librarians listened as the presenters Friends of the Library. The library statewide event for any state that stressed the importance of “writing offers to read the books to the takes up the cause. to the specs.” In particular, Spen- children, but so far, there haven’t For more information, visit www. cer called attention to the neces- JANUARY–MARCH, 2005 VIRGINIA LIBRARIES PAGE 21

sity of including all of the required will turn 400.” This is the open- Treadway explained that the information and documentation ing statement from the official awards began modestly in 1997 as instructed if an application “is Jamestown 2007 website, www. with recognition of the best fiction to have a chance.” jamestown2007.org. Events and and nonfiction books. At that time Throughout the presentation, activities are planned not only in the Virginia Center for the Book Spencer and Buck shared several Virginia, but also throughout the was still housed at LVA. Because engaging personal stories and use- United States. There will be eigh- the new Library of Virginia facil- ful insights. They made a case for teen months of festivities. Ritchie ity had attractive, perhaps even the use of testimonials, the inclu- discussed many of the events. dramatic, meeting spaces and a sion of sidebar support, and stra- In May 2006, the anniversary central location, it was the logical tegically placed “tidbit” segments. begins with the launching of the place for the center and the Library Above all, the presenters stressed replica Godspeed, which will sail to of Virginia Foundation to hold an the importance of communication. six major ports along the eastern awards ceremony that brought the Staying in touch with the grant coast. Live music, entertainment, commonwealth’s literary commu- funder through simple thank you and displays highlight Jamestown nity into the spotlight together to letters and short progress report legacies at each of these ports. celebrate the best writing and writ- phone calls or emails is essential. Other major events will be held ers. Announcing three finalists in Among the recommended re- throughout the year, including: each category far in advance, while sources for information: • American Indian Cultural Festi- keeping the winner secret, promot- • At the state level, contact val, September 2006 ed excellent attendance and good ­[email protected]. • 225th Anniversary: Victory at press coverage at the gala. Anyone gov (include your name, organi- Yorktown, October 2006 who has attended can testify to zation, and mailing address to • National Teach In, November the suspense as winners are an- request the Grant Seekers Packet) 2006 nounced. • At the foundation level, visit • African American Imprint on Awards in poetry and lifetime the Foundation Center website America, February 2007 achievement were added in the (http://fdncenter.org/) and the • America’s Anniversary Weekend, first few years of the program, and Geraldine R. Dodge Foundation May 2007 in 2004 a People’s Choice Award website (http://www.grdodge. Communities, counties, and was added, allowing the public to org/). cities throughout Virginia have vote for favorite books from the Also, the presenters suggested signed up to participate in the cel- fiction and nonfiction finalists. that one periodically ask two ques- ebrations. Check the webpage for When the Center for the Book relo- tions during the process of apply- Jamestown 2007 for more informa- cated to Charlottesville, the awards ing for a grant: “What is our goal tion, dates, and online activities. continued to be sponsored by the or objective?” and “What are the — Sandra Shell, Collinsville Branch LVA Foundation and the Library of details of the grant?” These are im- Library, Blue Ridge Regional Library Virginia. The Virginia Center for portant points to consider, as they System the Book now partners with LVA to might help to prevent both “mis- schedule appearances by finalists sion creep” and a grant applica- and winners at libraries and other Library of Virginia Annual tion that falls short of meeting the venues around the state. Literary Awards “original inspiration.” According to LVA’s website, “The — Heather Groves Hannan, George Presenters: Sandra Treadway, Library 9th Annual Library of Virginia Mason University of Virginia, and Mary Beth McIntire, Awards Celebration Honoring Library of Virginia Foundation Virginia Authors and Friends will be held on Saturday, October 21, 11:00–11:45 a.m. Deputy State Librarian Sandra 2006. The awards will be closely Treadway presented a short history tied to the James River Writers’ Jamestown 2007: America’s of the Literary Awards, explained fourth conference, to be held Oc- 400th Anniversary the hopes of the Library of Virginia tober 6–7, 2006, at the library.” Presenter: Amy Ritchie, Jamestown and the Virginia Center for the The James River group is cosponsor 2007; sponsored by the Local History Book for the future of the program, of the People’s Choice Award. Forum, Pat Cook, Chair and asked the attendees’ opinion on At this point Treadway led a how to recognize writing for chil- discussion about the reaction of “In 2007, Virginia and America’s dren in Virginia without competing VLA members to having LVA add first permanent English settlement with VLA’s Jefferson Cup Award. an award for children’s literature. PAGE 22 VIRGINIA LIBRARIES JANUARY–MARCH, 2005

The group’s response indicated mates, one can make new friends field cross over between science that such an award could be con- and acquaintances. Because of fiction, fantasy, and other genres structed to avoid direct competi- the technology involved, one also (while readers may enjoy one type tion with our Jefferson Cup Award, learns new computer skills as a side but not another). and that it would broaden the al- ­benefit. To help prepare librarians for ready strong appeal of the Library Disadvantages include the lack this type of encounter, the present- of Virginia’s award program. face-to-face contact with instruc- ers provided detailed handouts that — Cy Dillon, Stanley Library, Fer- tors or fellow classmates, slower included both recommended au- rum College communication, and occasional thors and characteristics: “Appeal technical problems that delay or Factors for New Space Opera,” interfere with classes. Online stu- “Readers’ Advisory Tools for Sci- 1:00–1:45 p.m. dents also miss the majority of on- ence Fiction,” “Science Fiction campus activities. Genre Study,” “Hard Science Fic- The Real World: The Reality Before beginning a distance tion Genre Study,” “Science Fic- of Pursuing the MLIS from a education program, check into the tion, Science Fact,” “Time Travel, Distance various universities that offer them Alternate, and Parallel Universe Presenters: Rachel Kirkland, George and learn as much as possible Science Fiction,” and “Examples Mason University, and Susan Jen- about their MLIS programs. What of Action Oriented and Historical/ nings, University of Tennessee entry requirements are involved? Philosophical Time Travel Novels.” How are the classes delivered? The presenters then guided attend- Jennings and Kirkland, both What types of computer programs ees through the basics for three involved in earning their library and hardware are required? Does types of science fiction: space degrees through distance educa- the university participate in the opera, hard science fiction, and tion programs, gave their personal Academic Common Market? Schol- time travel/alternate universe. experiences with the classes and arship opportunities, including As Smith explained, “space answered questions. During their the VLA Scholarship program, are opera” was originally coined as a session, the advantages and dis- available to assist in the cost of an pejorative term for the substan- advantages of distance education MLS program. dard hackwork filling out pulp were discussed and general infor- — Sandra Shell, Collinsville Branch magazines. By the 1970s, the term mation provided. Library, Blue Ridge Regional Library had become an established part of Distance education requires the System the genre with its own enthusiasts, skills of independence, persistence, yet the form remained somewhat patience, and self-motivation. A dismissed even within science fic- When Worlds Collide: Science person taking these classes must tion. While Star Wars gave science Fiction Reader’s Advisory take personal responsibility to keep fiction writers new appreciation for fully informed, to keep up-to-date Presenters: Barry Trott and Andrew space opera, many felt frustrated with class assignments, to commu- Smith, Williamsburg Regional Library, that the genre seemed stuck in nicate with the instructor and fel- and Neal Wyatt, Chesterfield County the golden age of the 1920s and low classmates, and to be willing Public Library 1930s. Yet forward-looking writers to learn new technology skills. Stu- believed that space opera offered a dents must learn to be persistent Barry Trott, Andrew Smith, and lot of creative opportunities, and in communication. Writing one’s Neal Wyatt joined forces to provide the genre has grown in complexity opinions (without having facial attendees with the ammunition to and depth. Smith used a colorful expression to help) is often more conquer that most frightening of quote from Brian Aldiss to illus- difficult than saying them aloud. reader’s advisory genres — science trate how the genre has changed. Advantages of distance educa- fiction. All too often, science fiction Now, instead of “charging on with tion include not having to drive readers come in so well prepared little regard for logic or literacy” to another location for classes. that they’ve already exhausted the as Aldiss described, the modern Distance education classes can be traditional avenues — and read all space opera must have science attended at home, an important the books that the reference librar- that is not only internally consis- advantage, especially with increas- ian might be ready to suggest. The tent, but also consistent with the ing gas prices. Another big benefit problem is further complicated by way we know the universe works. is being able to earn an MLIS with- the fifty subgenres of science fic- Current authors often go beyond out leaving the state of Virginia. tion described by NoveList, and genre stereotypes — or turn them By networking with fellow class- the fact that many writers in the on their heads. While space opera JANUARY–MARCH, 2005 VIRGINIA LIBRARIES PAGE 23

Rachel Kirkland was one of this year’s scholarship winners. often involves a quest, the hero of ready become reality. Hard science tion, while others go both ways. the quest no longer needs to be a fiction speculates about where sci- There are paradoxes and causal- man — or even human; further, ence is going to take us and what ity to explore, as well as alternate the “woman fairer than the skies” the consequences will be — both and parallel universes that arise is now “likely to kick your butt.” intended and unintended. Com- when decisions cause timelines Happy endings might be a lot more plex moral and ethical questions to branch. Alternate universes ex- complicated, and even the villain draw the reader into the book as plore different versions of history, has complex motivations. Smith much as the scientific detail. Au- while parallel universes use quan- recommended Dan Simmons’s Hy- thors need to be able to write about tum physics to explain a whole perion series and David Weber’s science in a clear and obvious way, universe with different realities Honor Harrington series, the latter often presenting an elegant, lyrical and value systems. When those of which offers a strong, realistic prose style that captures emotion worlds collide, interesting things female protagonist in adventures and character. While the quality of happen. Science fiction involving reminiscent of O’Brien and For- the writing is a big draw, the most time travel can take a wide variety rester. Smith also suggested using important element is that it has to of shapes, from utopia to dystopia; Anatomy of Wonder: A Critical Guide be plausible and follow scientific but if the science doesn’t work, to Science Fiction by Neil Barron as laws. Some of the popular topics the book doesn’t either. Some of a starting point. include genetics, nanotechnology, the scientific foundations include Trott then launched into hard pandemics, artificial intelligence, wormholes and Einstein’s theory science fiction, which became the colonization, and ecology. Char- of relativity. The appeal lies in ex- most popular style from the 1940s acters tend to be very realistic, just amining paradoxes and exploring to 1970s, when many people were as the science does. Some recom- a multilayered world. Some recom- reading science fiction to find out mended authors include Kathleen mendations include Kage Baker’s In what would happen in the future. Ann Goonan, Nancy Kress, and the Garden of Iden and Roger Mac- While there is still a lot of hard sci- classic author Robert A. Heinlein. bride Allen’s The Depths of Time, ence fiction today, it is more diffi- Wyatt introduced the worlds of which mixes time travel with space cult to write and publish, as more time travel, including parallel and opera. is known, and many of the dreams alternate universes. Some books — C. A. Gardner, Hampton Public of science fiction writers have al- allow time travel in only one direc- Library PAGE 24 VIRGINIA LIBRARIES JANUARY–MARCH, 2005

and photocopying records related to the collections, and project lead- ers concluded that the previously poor intellectual records led to infrequent use as well as to overlooking some very valuable items. MARC re- cords were created and up- dated, and item locations were changed for some of the valuable materials. At the same time, Special Col- lections moved into a new space. An analysis of the use of the collections yielded the information that research trends include more em- phasis on interdisciplinary and international research, increased microanalysis, and the use of images for substan- tive meaning rather than for appearance’s sake. Addition- al trends detected include more use of oral history, an increased local emphasis in biography, and more exten- sive use of religious records. Combining these trends and a “most used” list meant Incoming President Ruth Arnold. that the project could lead to enhanced access for the materials most likely to be in demand. Fi- 2:00–2:45 p.m. in the creation of a central portal nally, some of the items have been to collections held around campus, given barcodes to make future use Assessing Processing Needs including many unique primary statistics easier to gather. and Costs for Manuscripts and source documents. This project, associated with the Archives: the University of During the main part of the “Hidden Collections” work of the Virginia’s Experience project, student workers were care- Association of Research Libraries, Presenters: Edward Gaynor and Eliza- fully trained to complete a form on is an excellent example of a library beth Roderick, University of Virginia the condition of each unit in each responding to the research needs of the collections. The form helped of an international community of Elizabeth Roderick and Special determine if the item was in the researchers. Collections head Edward Gaynor proper collection and the extent — Cy Dillon, Stanley Library, Fer- reported on the outcome of an of its preservation and cataloging rum College ambitious two-year study, funded needs. Immediate remedial needs by the Andrew W. Mellon Founda- were also noted and the quality Customer Service at the Library tion, to develop a long-range pres- of the item’s catalog record was ervation and processing plan — in- assessed. The results were entered Presenter: Mickey Ann Garcia, Norfolk cluding an accurate estimate into a database for analysis. The Public Library of preservation and cataloging 13,000 linear feet of archival ma- costs — for the university’s 14,000 terial at the university obviously At the beginning of the presenta- item manuscript and archive col- generated a large body of data. tion, Mickey Ann Garcia of the lection. The project also resulted The project also considered use Norfolk Public Library guided the JANUARY–MARCH, 2005 VIRGINIA LIBRARIES PAGE 25 overflowing audience through an 3:00–5:00 p.m. (not be left behind) if their parents “ice breaker” illustrating customer are literate, therefore supporting Closing General Session: The service expectations — moving from the need for increased support for User Challenge courtesy to trust. Garcia empha- adult learning. sized the value of memorable and The guest speaker for the closing To illustrate the impact of low meaningful service interactions. session was Robert Wedgeworth of adult literacy skills on the econo- This led to a discussion of why ProLiteracy Worldwide. After retir- my in the United States, Wedge- patrons stop coming to the library. ing from a distinguished career as a worth used several examples from Certainly patrons who experience librarian, educator, and ALA execu- the State of Adult Literacy Report. rudeness or uninterested staff tive director, Wedgeworth became • Economic development: Compa- would not be inclined to return interested in adult literacy and the nies require basic literacy skills to the library. In a recent survey impact of low literacy on individu- for their employees and will shared by Garcia, patrons stop als, families, and the economy; select locations based on avail- coming to the library for the fol- thus, he joined ProLiteracy World- ability of an educated workforce. lowing reasons: one percent have wide as president and CEO. (Toyota chose to build a new died; three percent have moved Wedgeworth’s remarks focused North American facility in On- away; five percent have found a on the content of the 2005 State tario, Canada, rather than the new system; nine percent now use of Adult Literacy Report (http:// United States.) a competitor; fourteen percent ex- www.proliteracy.org/downloads/ • Earning potential: The average perienced dissatisfaction with the Stateoflitpdf.pdf) published by Pro- annual salary of a high school collection, staff, or library policies; Literacy Worldwide. He indicated dropout is about $19,000, while a and, the top reason, sixty-eight that the results of the National As- high school graduate can expect percent stop coming due to the at- sessment of Adult Literacy survey to earn approximately $26,000. titude of the staff. conducted in 2003 were slated to • Taxes and taxpayers: Consider Garcia admitted good customer be released in a report produced by the cost for public assistance service is a moving target, but the the Department of Education. This (food stamps, welfare, Medicaid) value of a repeat patron is worth survey was the first since the 1992 as well as the cost to support the effort to hit the bull’s eye. National Adult Literacy Survey, inmates in prisons (an estimated Repeat patrons know how to use which was conducted at a time seventy percent are illiterate) and the services the library offers, are when public interest in adult litera- the loss to the tax base (those more likely to have patience both cy was high and First Lady Barbara who do not have a job cannot with staff and when challenges Bush served as an advocate for the pay taxes). occur, and provide free advertise- issue. Wedgeworth indicated that • Health Care: An estimated $73 ment for the library. In a nutshell, despite the interest in adult literacy billion is spent on unnecessary patrons RATE customer service: skills in the early 1990s, support health care (according to 2002 R (response/reliability), A (assur- has waned over the past ten years data, “The average American ance/attitude), T (tangibles/trust), with changes in federal policy and spent $5,440 on health care E (empathy/effort). budget constraints. Wedgeworth while the cost for an adult with Garcia closed by highlighting hopes that the report based on the low literacy skills was $21,760”). that “attitude” is an emotional re- 2003 data will renew an interest in • Retail: Adults with low literacy sponse to a stimulus that can be adult literacy skills. skills make poor decisions as con- spread from one person to another Wedgeworth stated that al- sumers. “They don’t use coupons, and will influence a course of- ac though the No Child Left Behind sign service agreements, or take tion. If a disappointed attitude is Act addresses the need to educate advantage of percentage-off pro- caught before it reaches the “red our children and to assure that all motions.” As shoppers, they make zone” of anger, difficulties might students have basic reading, writ- choices based on “concrete rea- be avoided. Staff members need to ing, and math skills, the law does soning” (larger size must be more know how to project a positive at- not address the needs of adults, expensive than smaller size) or titude and not take situations per- especially adult immigrants who look for packaging that is famil- sonally. Garcia encourages front- have not had an opportunity to iar in color or design. Nutrition line staff to explain rather than attend school in the United States is also compromised since these enforce policies and to communi- and do not adequately read, speak, consumers lack the skills to un- cate an attractive attitude. or write English. He also pointed derstand nutritional information — Heather Groves Hannan, George out that students enrolled in public on labels and are less likely to se- Mason University schools are more likely to succeed lect fresh fruits and vegetables. PAGE 26 VIRGINIA LIBRARIES JANUARY–MARCH, 2005

• Marketing: Companies must tary Lydia Williams. Steve Preston Library Award, Poquoson Public make a greater effort to clearly reviewed the financial status of VLA Library; and Honorary Life Mem- communicate the uses of their and indicated that despite the ups bership, George Van Sant. products to these consumers. and downs of VLA’s investments, Donna Cote announced that the After providing an overview of the organization is financially VLA Manual had been revised and the impact of low adult literacy on sound. Cy Dillon reported on the that proposed additions/correc- the socioeconomic future of the state of the VLA Foundation. The tions to the VLA Bylaws had been United States, Wedgeworth briefly Nominations Committee provided emailed to all members and would discussed the efforts of ProLiteracy an election report: Pat Howe, vice be posted on the VLA website. Worldwide to increase awareness of president/president-elect; Libby Members were encouraged to vote the negative impact of low literacy Lewis, second vice president; Sue (electronically) on the proposed not only in the United States, but Burton, treasurer; and Susan Pad- changes. also around the world. He briefly dock, ALA councilor. For the Legis- Pat Howe announced that the reviewed several of the initiatives lative Committee, John Moorman raffle of the P. Buckley Moss print that ProLiteracy has undertaken reported that the legislative agenda collected $1,300 for the VLA Foun- nationally and internationally. He had been approved by the com- dation. feels that libraries (school, public, mittee and the Executive Council Ruth Kifer gave a brief review and academic) can and should and would be posted on the VLA of the state of the organization be on the front lines in the fight website. before passing the gavel to Ruth against low literacy. Moving on to awards, Jim Sand- Arnold, VLA President 2005–2006. In closing, Wedgeworth para- erson gave a brief report on the As Arnold accepted the gavel, she phrased a Chinese proverb: “If you activities of the Intellectual Free- thanked Kifer for her service to want to be happy for an hour, take dom Committee’s activities and VLA and wished her all the best in a nap; a day, go fishing; a week, introduced Dr. Timothy Coggins, her new position. take a vacation; a year, win the lot- recipient of the SIRS/ProQuest In- The 2006 VLA Annual Con- tery; a lifetime, serve others.” tellectual Freedom Award. Laura ference will be held at the The VLA business meeting was Speer announced the recipients of Williamsburg Marriott from No- called to order by President Ruth the VLA awards: Trustee Award, vember 9–10, 2006, with the theme Kifer. Minutes of the 2004 annual George Lyle; George Mason Award, “Read Think Speak.” meeting were presented by Secre- Noreen Bernstein; Friends of the — Caryl Gray, Virginia Tech VL

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Quilting the Story: An Interview with Donald Davis, Master Storyteller

by Mary Fran Bell-Johnson

hat can be said of Don- ald Davis, the master storyteller from Ocra­ Wcoke Island, that has not already been proclaimed by countless others? As a retired Methodist minister, former Chair of the Board of Directors for the National Storytelling Association, featured teller at the Smithsonian Institution and World’s Fair, master teacher, author, producer of books and tapes of his works, and guest host on National Public Radio, Donald Davis has cultivated a seemingly endless harvest of heartwarming lore and tradition. From his ever-present bow tie to his deliberate yet gen- teel Carolina drawl, Davis sooth- ingly and profoundly weaves and shares his storytelling “quilt” with his listeners … as few can.

First of all, Donald, on behalf VL of the Virginia Library Asso- ciation Paraprofessional Forum, I can’t begin to tell you how excited we are that you will be with us in May as our Sunday evening ban- quet speaker and Monday morning keynote speaker. The 2006 VLAPF conference theme is “Bridging the Information Gap: Preserving Yesterday’s Lessons, Anticipating Tomorrow’s Demands.” Since the Virginia Library Association was ed, retrieved, and shared. In your Mary Fran Bell-Johnson is Electronic formed over one hundred years opinion, what is the relevance of Resources Assistant for Greenwood ago, libraries have undergone a storytelling in this ever-changing, Library, Longwood University. She tremendous transformation in the automated, techno-savvy genera- can be reached at belljohnsonmf@ way information is gathered, sort- tion? longwood.edu. PAGE 28 VIRGINIA LIBRARIES JANUARY–MARCH, 2005

Well, there is a vast differ- medium is always secondary, not Story is really about iden- DD ence between information primary. Before we get to the stor- DD tity; it’s about identity main- and wisdom … there’s a huge dif- age medium, we have the living, tenance; it’s about who I am. A ference between the two. Every vibrant, creative medium that lives community of people and their time we talk about technology, in the oral tradition and in the sto- relationship to one another is not the only word that we use is in- ries as they are alive. For me the about where you work. It’s who formation. It’s “How can we move library should be, really, the home you are, where you live, and from information, move information, of that, because if it’s not, what we whom you have come. So, if you move information?” Technology get misled into believing is that go to a cocktail party and all the can move information more and one written version equals the conversation is about work, you’re more and more rapidly, but mov- whole story. The written version is not in a community. If you go to a ing information has nothing to do kind of like a recipe as opposed to cocktail party and the conversation with preserving wisdom. Preserv- the meal, or a road map as opposed is about family, about how’s your ing wisdom is a real central, in my to going on the trip. The deal is, are mama, where are your children, mind, library function that is very you happy to look at the recipe, or and how are they doing, you then different from all the technolo- do you want to eat? Are you happy have a community. Community gies. Preserving wisdom is related to look at the map, or do you want connects people with these things: to knowing our story, not someone to go on the trip? The difference where you live and to whom you’re else’s story, our story, having our related and from whom you came. story preserved and valued, and Community doesn’t connect peo- kept in a way so that it doesn’t get ple in terms of where you work. lost. It makes story more and more The deal is, are you happy Community creates a sense of important than ever instead of less to look at the recipe, or kinship, and we’re akin to people important, because it’s easy to say, with whom we share common “Technology, technology, tech- do you want to eat? experiences. As soon as you hear nology.” What happens to me in somebody’s story, it reminds you schools and libraries is that I hear of something you did like that, of the people talk about the form and is, are you happy to read the book, somebody you know who’s like no content. All the conversation is or do you really want to hear the that, of a place you’ve been that’s about the medium and when I try story? Do you want to meet the like that. You’re then in a commu- to get hold of content, that’s when whole, living story? nity together. I bump up against a wall. Story, basically, is the content. One comparison that comes While doing research for this If we lose our story, what is it that VL to my mind is washing your VL interview, I came across a we’re preserving? hands when you have only one brief interview with the writer Paul hand. Your hand still gets wet, but Auster in which he comments on How do libraries connect with you don’t get the full action of the the value of storytelling. He stated VL storytellers, or should I say wash — but maybe that’s a poor that “experience is a great chaos how do storytellers connect with analogy. of events, and it’s only through libraries? Are libraries friend or foe That’s true because one hand storytelling — whether it’s the pro- to the oral tradition? DD is like someone telling a story fessional storytelling of a novelist The library should be a real with no one listening. It’s like a or people sitting around telling DD living center for the oral tra- book when you can’t ask a ques- stories of their childhood — that a dition because after all, print is a tion, when you can’t talk to the story organizes reality. If we didn’t documentation medium, not really person who wrote it, or when you have stories to tell each other, I a creative medium. From the very can’t even give them a puzzled don’t think we’d be able to under- beginning of the development of look. It takes that two-sidedness of stand the world at all.” What are writing, writing developed not as the teller and the listeners to rub your views on his comments? a creative medium but as a docu- those two hands together to make The real key phrase in there mentation medium. The primary that story come flowing out of it. DD is “organizes reality.” What word was the oral story that was a story does is like what a quilter told, and then we created writing On the subject of advocacy, does. When Grandma takes all the to save stories from getting lost VL would you expand on your worn-out garments from the fam- when everybody couldn’t be there ideas about how stories connect ily and makes something out of to hear the story told. The storage communities? them, we look at it and say, “Oh, JANUARY–MARCH, 2005 VIRGINIA LIBRARIES PAGE 29 there’s the shirt I had when I was that is still another set of words. In have probably been asked, basi- in high school” or “There’s the tie addition, I would never use those cally, the same questions. Is there that Daddy used to love.” It’s the words in the telling of that story. a question you haven’t been asked organization of the reality that the The book is like writing the guide but you’ve just been dying to an- story accomplishes, which means for the people who can’t come see swer? it makes sense out of things and the pictures. Hmm … I’ll have to think happenings. DD about that a little bit. What In looking back over your ca- you don’t get lots of questions on In regard to the true, defini- VL reer choices, did your ministe- are questions of meaning. People VL tive format of storytelling, rial training make you a better sto- talk about process, technique, and I’ve heard about the debate about ryteller, or did storytelling make methodology, but people don’t whether or not storytelling should you a better minister? talk about questions of meaning only be the telling of traditional Absolutely … I grew up hear- a lot. Why can no technology kill tales and stories, and not the per- DD ing traditional storytelling, storytelling? Why, still, after some- sonal and humorous stories told by and seminary is a writing process; one spends the whole day in front many. Have you heard of this de- I largely learned how to write ser- of the computer, is the highlight of bate? What are your views? his day going to a bar and telling It’s all of that and it’s all im- a story to the bartender? The bar- DD portant! There’s no separa- tender then says, “That reminds tion of it because every traditional … we look at it and say, me of … ,” and here comes another story is the model for us; however, “Oh, there’s the shirt I story! if we never look at our own, we’ve not organized our own reality. had when I was in high In conclusion, in your own VL words, describe the legacy of Would you elaborate on your school” or “There’s the tie Donald Davis. VL method of story composition that Daddy used to love.” That’s a hard question, be- as “not a word-centered approach DD cause you don’t think about but a picture-centered approach”? that. The thing that always pleases A story is what happens when me most is when I tell a story that DD I have a picture in my head mons, not how to preach. It was reminds other people of some- that I would like for you to see. If only when I got back in touch thing that happened to them that we’re together, I can move that pic- with the storytelling medium of they hadn’t thought about. They, ture from my head to your head by my childhood that I really became in turn, end up being able to tell telling you about it and watching good at that. a story they wouldn’t have told if for your reaction. We have a story they hadn’t heard mine. It’s kind when there’s an “aha” reaction Are great storytellers born, or of like a parable thing. It’s not the to the picture I’m relating to the VL are they created? appreciation of my story. If my ­listener. Both! This is the image that story, though, takes you to your DD works for me. There are some grandmother or takes you to your And that’s something you kids who learn to read before they high school or takes you to a child- VL don’t get over the Internet! start school and there are some hood friend and all of a sudden, And you don’t get that in kids who learn reading with great you’re walking out telling some- DD a book, really! What that difficulty. We never, in school, say one something you would never means is that every time I tell the that he reads and she doesn’t! We have thought of otherwise, then story, the words could be different. work at helping everyone learn to my sense of what I have done has That’s why my stories are made of read better, and the same thing is worked. pictures and not of words. The pic- true with storytelling. Some peo- ture remains the same, but if I’m ple naturally tell things without Fred Allen once said, “A human being in California or Maine or Florida even thinking about it, and some is nothing but a story with a skin or with kindergartners or at a re- people have to work at it with great around it.” These words seem to sum tirement home, the way I have to difficulty, but everybody can get up Davis’s ambition to encourage the move that picture requires differ- better. story in all of us. What a fine ambi- ent words. Eventually I may write tion … and what greater example to a version of the story for people Donald, you’ve been inter- follow than Donald Davis! VL who will never get to hear it, but VL viewed so many times and PAGE 30 VIRGINIA LIBRARIES JANUARY–MARCH, 2005

PRA Workgroups Do the Heavy Lifting: Joint Subcommittee Brings the PRA into the Twenty-First Century

by Megan Rhyne

’m a lawyer by training. We should be used to archive public alysts Thomas Wellman and Mark like to argue about language records, even though such specific- Walsh; and Paul Casalaspi, director and the meaning of words ity is usually left to regulations and of information technology. John Ia lot. I’ve seen judges interpret guidelines instead of being written Breeden, records administrator at statutes or find hidden rights in into the code itself. the Virginia Department of Trans- the penumbra of a constitutional Joint Subcommittee Chair Kirk- portation, and Jerome Kendall, amendment. I’ve seen a lawyer, land Cox, R-Colonial Heights, ap- records administrator for Chester- who just happened to also be our pointed a sub-subcommittee to field County, joined me to round president at the time, question study the State Documents Deposi- out the core of the group. Drafts the meaning of “is.” But I learned tory Program. Through the use of of proposed changes were also cir- something this year that I didn’t informal workgroups, as detailed culated around a 120-member list- know before: when it comes to in Mary Clark’s article “The Vir- serv for records managers around parsing language, lawyers can’t ginia General Assembly Studies the the state. touch librarians. Public Records Act and the State Wallmeyer was first named as It’s a good thing, too — because Depository Program” (Virginia Li- staff counsel for the study when what needed to come out of the braries 51.4), the joint subcommit- she still worked at the Freedom General Assembly’s Joint Commit- tee adopted proposed legislation of Information Advisory Coun- tee Studying the Public Records Act “in concept” to be introduced in cil. When the study was first pro- most of all was a tightly worded, the 2006 General Assembly. posed — shortly before the 2004 precise but flexible, comprehensive Cox created another sub-subcom- General Assembly session — one revision to the statute to carry it mittee to tackle the precise revisions purpose was to bring the PRA in far into the future. to the PRA itself. Del. Ryan McDou- line with FOIA where possible. It had been thirty years since the gle, R-Mechanicsville, chaired the Though the two statutes are sepa- act was first passed, and no major sub-subcommittee. Joint committee rate and distinct, they nonetheless revisions had yet been made to the members Conley Edwards of the Li- complement one another. They PRA. Like any other statute, it had brary of Virginia and Rosanna Ben- share many of the same terms and been poked, prodded, added to, coach of the State Board of Elections the same objectives. More than and deleted from by generations of were also appointed. one judge or attorney general has legislators. Unfortunately, some of Informal workgroups once again looked to one for help in interpret- the revisions were pinned on with did the real work on the revisions. ing the other. Consistency between the haphazardness of a blindfolded Under the leadership of Lisa Wall- the two was therefore critical. child holding a donkey’s paper tail. meyer, executive director of the Wallmeyer’s background in FOIA And while amendments were Joint Commission on Technology and First Amendment law helped made, some of the act’s premises, and Science, with assistance from ensure that public access to records definitions, and instructions were JCOTS Staff Attorney Patrick Cush- was always a part of the revision not reconciled or updated. For ing, stakeholders and interested equation. example, here we are in the age parties met several times in infor- of digitization, and the PRA still mal workgroup sessions to refash- operated under the presumption ion the act where needed. Those in Megan Rhyne is the Associate Director that archival records would be pre- regular attendance included repre- of the Virginia Coalition for Open Gov- served only in paper form or by sentatives from the Library of Vir- ernment. She lives in Williamsburg. For microfilm. The act even specified ginia — Conley Edwards; records more information or to contact the au- exactly what type of ink and paper and information management an- thor, visit http://www.opengovva.org. JANUARY–MARCH, 2005 VIRGINIA LIBRARIES PAGE 31

To this end, throughout the administrative, fiscal, historical, bers changed the number of years PRA, the workgroup made changes and legal value of a record — were a confidential record could be kept to clarify that the physical format thus moved to where they were under wraps from one hundred of a record did not change the re- more relevant: in the section deal- to seventy-five years. This was to cord’s characterization. That is, if ing with records retention and dis- be more in keeping with the way it is a public record on paper, then position schedules. things are done in other states and it’s still a public record whether it’s The LVA retained the ability to the Library of Congress, which told a scanned-in image of a record or issue regulations and guidelines to Patrick Cushing that its confiden- a record originally created in elec- help state and local agencies create, tiality periods were even less than tronic format. preserve, store, file, reformat, man- seventy-five years. Several new terms were added age, and destroy their records. The McDougle worried that, since to the definitions section of the task should be made easier with a we’re all living longer now, some PRA. Conversion, electronic record, small but important addition: to adoption records would be made essential public record, lifecycle, require government entities not available while parties to the adop- metadata, and migration were all just to name a records officer, but tion were still alive. Committee added to address the changing na- to tell the LVA who that person is member Valerie Mayo said she ture of records management in the and how to contact that person. thought most adoption records face of new, existing, and evolving The LVA related the trouble were sealed by court order, which technologies. For instance, “con- they’ve had over the years getting would not be disturbed by the version” was added to address the some agencies to comply with the change to the PRA. steps to take to ensure the integrity PRA’s terms. Though the new sec- The joint committee ultimately of a document when it is saved in tion won’t guarantee compliance, accepted the change from one a new format (such as from a Word having a contact point is the first hundred to seventy-five years, a document to a PDF file). Similarly, step in rectifying the situation. good move for public access. Any “migration” is the term chosen to Another compliance tool now at more than seventy-five years and denote the process of moving elec- the library’s ready disposal is the many families — with or without tronic records from one information ability to audit non-complying en- adoptions — would not be able to system to another (such as from tities. The ability to conduct a re- conduct genealogical research. desktop hard drives to servers). cords management audit is discre- Also, other historical records could Electronic records proved to tionary — the library said it doesn’t be unnecessarily withheld for a be the trickiest term to define. have the staff or the resources to quarter of a century too long. Lengthy discussions determined conduct regular audits — and re- The draft, as well as the draft of whether words like “computer” or sults must be summarized in a the State Publications Depository “digital” should be used. An early report to the governor and chairs Act, will be presented during the version of the definitions evoked a of the general laws and finance 2006 legislative session. Of course, Planet of the Apes feel when it stated committees for both houses of the there’s no telling what sort of spic- that an electronic record was one General Assembly. es will be added or portions cut that required a processing device to The joint subcommittee adopted away during the sausage-making make it “intelligible to humans.” In the workgroup’s final draft with process, but bills that have come the end, the electronic record was one exception. The workgroup rec- through study committees, espe- defined broadly to mean “a public ommended giving LVA the respon- cially ones where the stakeholders record whose creation, storage, and sibility of naming a state records were all an active part of the pro- access requires the use of an auto- administrator, just as it already cess, often fare well. mated system or device.” names a state archivist. Though the The prospect of an easy passage The definition of “public record” workgroup agreed that the same should not dissuade the library was tweaked to remove medium- person could be named to both po- community from being actively specific references, and technical sitions, the proposal was shot down involved in speaking out on and changes were made to the defi- in the joint committee when com- in favor of the bill when it comes nition of “archival quality.” The mittee members realized the LVA up for discussion in subcommit- definition of “archival record” was did not support the proposal. tee and committee meetings. After changed, but not substantively. The Though it was adopted by the seeing the work that many of them four factors for evaluating archival joint subcommittee, one provision did in creating the bills, I am quite records under the “archival record” gave Del. McDougle some heart- certain that their eloquent, in- definition were actually applicable burn. In the section dealing with sightful, and logical words will be to all records. These factors — the confidentiality, workgroup mem- persuasive. VL PAGE 32 VIRGINIA LIBRARIES JANUARY–MARCH, 2005

Archive Preserves County’s Unique Rural Roots

by D. J. Mathews

. C. Jessee is a man who likes was really old and really interest- where I could find a picture in the to collect things. The Russell ing,” McBride says. The photo de- last twenty years.” County resident has old pho- picted members of the Virginia Bar Another member of the Gene- J tographs of Honaker where Association. McBride felt it could alogy Group, Barry Hess, of the he grew up in the thirties, music be put to better use at Grundy’s Ap- Cook’s Mill section of the county, of artists like Jimmy Rodgers and palachian School of Law in nearby says McBride “had talked about it the Stanley Brothers, and original Buchanan County and donated in a genealogy meeting” and was recordings of the Carter family. Al- it to the college. Since she’d been happy to contribute a few photos. though he has old 78s numbering exposed to the concept of historic His pictures were of particular im- in the thousands, what has proven portance, because they showed a most valuable to his community in few old homes that were part of the far southwest Virginia is his picture “poor farm addition” of the county collection of old homes and other Until … the early 1950s, in the last century. Given to Hess structures — images that have be- this rural community by a cousin a few years ago, the come a part of a unique photo ar- photos show a barn and silo where chive at the Russell County Public had over eighty food was stored and small but sepa- Library in Lebanon. rate buildings in which penniless Historical photographs have one- and two-room men and women of Russell County traditionally been of more interest classrooms scattered could live when necessary. The Leb- to filmmakers and those studying anon property was sold at auction architecture or environmental his- all over the county. in 1957 to Hess’s uncle. He proudly tory. But as more and more fami- stands in front of one house with lies pursue genealogical research his wife and three grandchildren. into family history and see what archives at her previous positions The library received a lot of local and county institutions have at Mars Hill College and UVa-Wise, old class pictures and pictures of to offer, keeping a photo archive is she then decided to apply for a schoolhouses from individuals and becoming more important. Dr. Lisa grant and advertise for old county the school board office. “I figured Roberts Jett, who teaches cultural photos, which would be copied and there’d be a lot of churches,” Mc- geography at Emory and Henry made part of a permanent collec- Bride comments. Until bigger, more College in Emory, believes storing tion for future residents to enjoy. centralized elementary schools these old images of wheat mills, Jessee, a member of the board were built in the early 1950s, this churches, and schools with digi- of directors of the Russell County rural community had over eighty tal technology is both avant-garde Genealogy Group, which had been one- and two-room classrooms and significant. “They tell us a lot meeting at the library for several scattered all over the county. about what places were like in the years, began donating photos to These were simple wood frame past … these will be very valuable help preserve the “look” of a Rus- structures with no indoor plumb- in the future.” sell County of bygone days. He ing; they were named according to Russell County Library Direc- contributed a number of photos of tor Kelly McBride explains that the his hometown of Honaker, includ- genesis for the idea of a historic ing a Civil War reunion circa 1900 D. J. Mathews is a freelance writer photo archive came when a local and county train depots. He has who works part-time for Russell County resident brought an old picture to over 200 historic photos, which he Public Library. She may be reached at her attention a few years ago. “It says he has obtained “from any- [email protected]. JANUARY–MARCH, 2005 VIRGINIA LIBRARIES PAGE 33

Carrie Warner taught at Ferguson’s Chapel in the 1930s.

Reunion of the Civil War veterans of Honaker, 1912. PAGE 34 VIRGINIA LIBRARIES JANUARY–MARCH, 2005

The digital age has allowed the Russell County Library to both copy and preserve over 200 photos for its year-old collection, which residents can access from a file on the ten computers in the library. A patron can then print off an image on either a black-and-white or color printer in a condition suit- able for framing. For those inter- ested in starting a photo archive, McBride advises, “Creating it is not hard, but keeping it organized and accessible is.” The archive, funded in part by a grant from the Virginia Foundation for the Hu- manities and Public Policy, needs to be maintained by the computer- savvy. Photos preserved in TIF for- mat are of the best photo quality for a printout, and the library has printed Excel sheets of photo in- formation, which can be accessed Oak Grove School, circa 1911. according to town location or type (building, road, house, business, or people). the location, such as Mill Creek, weather. When she got a vehicle in “I’ve been pleased by the re- Castle Run, Temple Hill, or Corner 1934, Warner says, “I would pick up sponse to the photo archive,” Schoolhouse. every child who was going where McBride says. In the future, the The teachers who taught at I was going” till the car was jam- library will be especially interested some of these old schoolhouses packed. She had fewer problems in hundred-year-old family farms. were feted at a Teacher’s Apprecia- with discipline than at Lebanon “Like many rural counties, com- tion Day in May 2005. They were Elementary, which opened about munities that were once thriving treated to a display of many of the 1952. But she did sometimes have may have disappeared, and we one-room school photos, black- unique predicaments, like needing have no visual record of them. I and-whites from as early as 1910. a man to put up an outhouse that hope we can find photos of those These showed serious-looking had been turned over by a male communities and preserve our young boys in loose-fitting suits or student from the upper grades. past,” she says. VL overalls; the girls, equally severe, wore skirts just over the knee, with their hair pulled back in a bun or braids. Carrie Warner, a ninety- Some Hints for Activating a Photo Archive four-year-old retired teacher from 1) Advertise in the local media. the county, appreciated the tea and 2) Have donors sign a release form that says the library has permis- the display of old photographs. sion to keep a copy of images of their family, business, or commu- Warner has vivid memories nity photos for display or educational purposes. of teaching first through third 3) Save the photo as a TIF file in your scanning for the best photo grade in a two-room school called printing quality. A JPEG file is more suitable if the photo is to be Ferguson’s Chapel as early as the displayed on the library website. 1930s. Back then, a teacher had 4) Have the digital archive available to patrons on one of more to be very self-reliant, buying her ­computers in a special file, where users can observe and print out own supplies and oiling the floors images. to preserve the wood herself. Kids 5) Have copies of the photos and background information burned to walked from the nearby moun- CDs for backup. tains to the school in all kinds of JANUARY–MARCH, 2005 VIRGINIA LIBRARIES PAGE 35

Collaborating to Improve CMS-Based Courses

by Christine Stinson and George Loveland

he proliferation of online ages, computer-readable text, etc. libraries. As evidence, he cited the resources has changed the However, because of the rapid pro- changing role of the college librar- practice of higher educa- liferation of online materials, facul- ian, who, in the late nineteenth Ttion markedly for both teaching ty members are often not aware of century, was faculty and librarians. Throughout the important computer-accessible …usually a member of the last century, faculty often based materials currently available in the teaching faculty upon their class materials on the their subject areas. Indeed, teach- whom fell the added re- texts and articles they ing faculty may not even be aware sponsibility of caring for read and used while the library, [and whose du- they were in gradu- ties] were largely custodial. He carried the key to the room where the books were kept and saw to it that the room was tightly locked ex- cept during the few periods of the week when students were permitted to use the books.1 Lyle, one of the most respect- ed and accomplished librarians of the mid-twentieth century, did not suspect that he was observing the early stages of a revolution in in- formation science that would make the changes he described seem inconse- quential. For while the profes- sional forms evolved, librarians continued to function as the “keepers of the key” until the

ate school. For teaching faculty, of how much they don’t know, and the widespread adoption of course- the task of politely informing this Pictured above, Christine Stinson is management software (CMS) such ignorance creates a new service op- both Associate Professor of Accounting as WebCT, Blackboard, ANGEL, portunity for research librarians. and Business and Director of the Center Sakai, and other CMS products has Parallel changes have affected for Instructional Design and Technology changed how many faculty teach. the daily work of librarians. As at Ferrum College. She can be reached With CMS, it is much easier to much as thirty years ago, Guy R. at [email protected]. George Love- incorporate into course materials Lyle marveled at the “enormous land is Associate Professor of Library information such as URLs, online change” that the twentieth centu- Science at Ferrum College. Email him documents, videos, graphic im- ry had brought to American college at [email protected]. PAGE 36 VIRGINIA LIBRARIES JANUARY–MARCH, 2005

early 1990s. Now, because every business course in investments. have? What investment opportuni- student or faculty member poten- This course reviews the investment ties are you comfortable with? Will tially accesses tens of thousands and financial-planning decisions you use IRA, 401(k), etc.? of electronic full-text monographs individuals make over their lives. (6) Do your annual savings in and journals, government docu- Each student’s seminal project in your investments build up to the ments, and other material once this course is to prepare a compre- amount you need in (2) (i.e., cal- tightly controlled by the librarian, hensive (60–80 page) individual fi- culate the future value of the an- and often from the comfort of her nancial plan, which covers the rest nuity that is your annual savings dorm room or office, the techno- of his or her life (including cur- on the date of your retirement)? If logical revolution has made the rent balance sheet, annual budget “Yes,” congratulations! You have a library’s locks and keys irrelevant, for life, retirement goals, annual financial plan. If not, increase your or has at least placed a copy of the budgeted savings, investment ve- savings (3), increase your rate of re- master key in every patron’s hands. hicles, insurance planning, and a turn (4), or lower your retirement Collaborations between faculty, goals (1) and recalculate. librarians, and instructional design (7) Write your will. If you die staff can facilitate the successful unexpectedly, whom do you want incorporation of this new material … the technological to have your net assets? into a WebCT-based course. revolution has made Although the reference librar- ian was not trained in investments the library’s locks and or financial planning, he found Facilitating the Collaboration a number of useful information In order to create a successful keys irrelevant …. sources that are now part of the three-way collaboration, the librar- online class materials (for easy ian’s (and instructional technology student reference as they prepare designer’s) availability can be pub- will). Preparing this financial plan their financial plans). Examples of licized throughout the academic involves six major steps for each supporting materials include the institution, but because ownership student: following: and responsibility for the course (1) How much do you want per (1) URLs and reference links reside with the faculty member, year after you retire? How many for post-retirement health care the collaborative effort probably years will you live? Do you want costs, actuarial estimates of cur- needs to be initiated by the faculty anything left over (for family gifts, rent life expectancy, and actuarial member (possibly in response to for charity) after you die? estimates of conditional life expec- a new awareness of the librarian’s (2) Calculate how much you tancy (when the student finally availability). In our experience, need to save by the time you retire retires). the faculty member describes the (i.e., determine the present value of (2) URLs, links to ebooks, links class as it currently exists and as your retirement annuity payments to physical library reference materi- she envisions it developing. After at the date of your retirement). als, and full-text articles on salaries this initial meeting, the librarian (3) Prepare an annual budget (and salary growth) for different searches for new, supportive mate- for each year of your working life. careers; projected demand for dif- rials (URLs, ebooks, physical texts, What job will you have after you ferent occupations; typical house- etc.) as well as new sources for older graduate? Where will you live? hold costs for groceries, utilities, materials. Throughout this collab- How much will you owe in taxes? and other expenses; cost-of-living oration, the instructional design What will your monthly expenses indices for different regions of the specialist can make design sugges- be for groceries, gasoline, utilities, country; and consumer guidance tions (e.g., by pointing to already- clothing, and entertainment? How on factors to consider when pur- successful faculty projects). much will it cost for the health, chasing health insurance, disabil- One successful example in- disability, and life insurance that ity insurance, and life insurance. volves an upper level investing you need? Based on this budget, (3) URLs, links to library- class from Ferrum College’s busi- are your retirement needs reason- ­purchased databases, and full-text ness program. During the fall able? (If not, revise [1] and [2]). articles on money-market mutual 2005 semester, a faculty member (4) Now, how much can you funds, bond mutual funds, domes- (Stinson) approached a librarian save each year? tic stock mutual funds, global stock (Loveland) to ask for assistance in (5) What rate of return can you mutual funds, “balanced” mutual finding online materials to support expect on your investments? What funds, Standard & Poor’s data on an already-existing, senior-level investment opportunities do you individual stocks and bonds, tradi- JANUARY–MARCH, 2005 VIRGINIA LIBRARIES PAGE 37 tional and Roth IRAs, 401(k) pen- twice a year with teaching faculty with librarians, you will probably sion plans, investment scams, and and a pile of publishers’ catalogs need to publicize your availabil- balancing (and rebalancing) your to discuss how book budgets will ity, but wait for faculty to come to investment portfolio. be spent. Now librarians discover you. Once faculty members have (4) URLs and links to Nolo valuable online resources nearly approached you with a request for Press, LawDepot Legal Forms, and every day, and they don’t have the assistance, focus primarily on what A Beginner’s Guide to Wills. luxury of waiting for input from the faculty member wants to ac- The faculty collaborator (Stin- teaching faculty before sharing complish. Allow faculty to proceed son) has been very pleased with these resources with students. To at their pace. Use successful faculty the focus these resources add to her be effective in this evolving role, projects as examples of what can students’ efforts. As she is also the librarians must develop their own be done with CMS; let the technol- administrator for Ferrum’s course research talents in specific disci- ogy advertise itself. management software, she is regu- plines, and they must develop more larly involved in course design and meaningful and sustained collab- Conclusion thus able to use her experiences from this collaboration in encour- Collaborations between faculty, aging other faculty to work with Start with one or two librarians, and instructional tech- library staff in developing courses. nology staff can facilitate the adventuresome faculty to successful incorporation of new material into courses using CMS. Lessons for Faculty create success stories …. However, these collaborations re- Why might faculty benefit from quire a willingness to seek outside faculty-librarian-designer collabo- assistance on the part of faculty, rations? (Librarians and instruc- orative relationships with other an exploratory zeal on the part of tional-design specialists may want teaching and research faculty. reference librarians, and an open- to use these points when encour- What lessons have we learned ness to working with others from aging faculty to consider working from our collaboration that might the instructional technology staff. with the librarian and designer.) help other librarians planning In our experience, collaboration is CMS allows new ways of deliver- to encourage faculty to seek as- fun, it’s interesting, and it works. ing both old and new information. sistance from librarians in course Good luck! Faculty may not be up-to-date on development? For the librarian, new sources of information; librar- the increasing use of CMS soft- Notes ians are. Faculty may benefit from ware offers an opportunity to be course design suggestions; design- involved in course redesign. If 1. Guy R. Lyle, The Administration ers can help here. If a faculty mem- collaborations aren’t common on of the College Library, 4th ed. (New ber is willing to approach others your campus, explicitly publicize York: H.W. Wilson, 1974), 2. VL for help in the area of her specialty, your availability to the teaching she may be shown materials that faculty, especially those who are help develop a significantly better developing or redesigning courses. course. One of us (Stinson) found Work with your CMS administra- that librarians could efficiently tor and instructional designers to find materials that helped develop get the word out. Start with one or a better class. Collaboration saves two adventuresome faculty to cre- time. ate success stories that will adver- tise themselves by word of mouth. You will probably discover, as we Lessons for Librarians did, that collaboration is interest- In addition to the obvious changes ing and fun. in how “information literacy” is regarded, librarians must now be- Lessons for Instructional-Design come more familiar with the ac- Specialists tual subject content that their fac- ulty colleagues research and teach. What lessons have we learned that For at least the last ten years, it has might help CMS administrators no longer been enough to sit down and instructional designers? Just as PAGE 38 VIRGINIA LIBRARIES JANUARY–MARCH, 2005

Virginia Reviews

Reviews prepared by staff members of the Library of Virginia Sara B. Bearss, Editor

James Horn. A Land as God hatans pursued a strategy of culti- Made It: Jamestown and the vating good relations while wait- Birth of America. New York: ing for an opportunity to strike a Basic Books, 2005. xii + decisive blow against the English. 289 pp. $26.00 (hardcover). When that opportunity presented History is only boring if itself in 1622, Indians killed 347 it seems inevitable. Interest settlers in a series of coordinated in colonial Virginia is, perhaps, attacks. The Crown revoked the a victim of the colony’s ultimate Horn creates genuine Virginia Company’s charter the success. Readers are apt to forget following year and assumed rule that failure was not only possible; suspense as the fledgling over the colony, but left no place it often seemed probable. In few for Indians as participants. With places was this truer than at James- colony repeatedly teeters tobacco emerging as a cash crop town, England’s first permanent on the brink of disaster. and with booming free and slave settlement in North America. James populations, Virginia began to re- Horn breathes excitement and un- HORN REVIEW semble the society it would remain certainty into a familiar story in A through the Civil War. Land as God Made It: Jamestown and The fort and other structures on the Birth of America. Jamestown Island crumbled long Horn focuses on the fifteen years anxious to establish a foothold in ago, and England’s first permanent between the colony’s settlement America, but also addresses the settlement in America similarly re- in 1607 and the Powhatan upris- Spanish interest in Jamestown and ceded into the dim corners of our ing in 1622. By limiting himself to their other activities in Virginia. national memory. It should not be a narrow timeframe, he is able to Horn describes the changing so. There are lessons to be learned fill in some of the gaps that exist goals of the Virginia Company of in the history of New World ex- in the standard Jamestown narra- London and explains how, as set- ploration and great drama in the tive. Drawing from contemporary tlers began to realize that there events that unfolded in Jamestown. accounts as well as more recent would be no quick gains from pre- A Land as God Made It is a thorough scholarship, A Land as God Made cious metals or Pacific passages, and engaging account of Virginia’s It paints a vivid and often harrow- the colony’s focus changed to early struggles and successes. ing picture of Virginia’s early years developing a long-term, diversi- — reviewed by Kelly Gilbert, Re- as the author weaves a narrative fied economy. This shift further search Archivist from events taking place among strained the colony’s relations colonizing circles in England and with the Indians — relations that Spain, the settlers of Jamestown, were already fraught with ten- Marc Leepson. Flag: An and the Powhatan alliance. It is a sion and misunderstandings. Na- American Biography. Fore- good story well told. Horn creates tive Virginians, who viewed the word by Nelson DeMille. genuine suspense as the fledgling interlopers as trading partners at New York: Thomas Dunne colony repeatedly teeters on the best, determined that despite the brink of disaster. Casting its eye often-desperate circumstances of beyond Virginia, the book gives the settlers, they were unlikely to Sara B. Bearss is senior editor of the Jamestown a global context. It not be driven from the land in a direct Dictionary of Virginia Biography, pub- only discusses why Britain was confrontation. Instead, the Pow- lished by the Library of Virginia. JANUARY–MARCH, 2005 VIRGINIA LIBRARIES PAGE 39

Books, St. Martin’s Press, 2005. xvii ings to the flag as a deeply patriotic Barbara C. Batson and + 334 pp. $24.95 (hardcover). and contrarily divisive symbol for Tracy L. Kamerer. A Capital The Stars and Stripes is an inter- diverse groups. Following the ter- Collection: Virginia’s Artis- nationally recognized symbol of rorist attacks of 9/11, the nation tic Inheritance. Richmond: the United States of America. Hav- was once more united under the Library of Virginia, 2005. xvii + ing thoroughly researched primary flag with the huge displays of red, 125 pp. $25.00 (hardcover). sources as well as the previous lead- white, and blue that blossomed Since 1784, when Virginia’s ing histories of the flag, Marc Leep- coast to coast. General Assembly commissioned a son explores how this national flag Leepson keeps the narrative statue of George Washington and has become an enduring symbol of moving with a generally chrono- a bust of the Marquis de Lafayette, American democracy and union, logical telling of events and keeps the commonwealth has amassed both loved and hated. the chronicle lively with bio- a rich collection of paintings and Leepson begins with an explora- graphical accounts of the impor- sculptures that commemorate four tion of the unknown origins of the tant people in the history of the hundred years of Virginia’s history Stars and Stripes. He describes the flag, such as Mary Pickersgill, the and culture. Housed in the state various banners flown by the colo- seamstress who sewed the flag that capitol, the executive mansion, nists and Revolutionaries, from inspired Francis Scott Key, and and other state buildings and open Great Britain’s Union Jack to the spaces surrounding Capital Square, Continental colors that George these works of art reflect eighteenth- Washington used to signal the century legislators’ conviction that birth of the Continental army. Leepson … public representations of eminent Leepson touts Francis Hopkinson comprehensively leaders, important events, and sub- as the most likely designer of the lime landscapes play a crucial role flag, then comprehensively de- debunks the myth in educating and inspiring future bunks the myth of Betsy Ross’s cre- generations. After the General As- ative initiative. of Betsy Ross’s sembly authorized the Virginia State The flag was a military and creative initiative. Library in 1873 to acquire works re- mostly naval device for much of lated to Virginia’s past, other state its early history. Not until the Civil LEEPSON REVIEW agencies followed suit and began War did the Stars and Stripes be- procuring portraits of governors, come synonymous with patriotism prominent legislators, judges of the and union. (And at the same time Robert G. Heft, who designed the Virginia Supreme Court of Appeals, it meant something very different fifty-star flag while he was still in and other civic leaders. Meanwhile, to Southerners who were proudly high school. Leepson also reveals artists and benefactors augmented fighting under the Confederate many firsts for the flag: when it was the collection by donating pieces of flag, the Stars and Bars). After the raised in England, its earliest naval a very different sort. The allegori- Civil War, veterans’ groups led battle, and when it was placed at cal statue Joy of Life, for example, some of the first and most influen- the North Pole and on the moon. entered the collection as a gift from tial campaigns to spread the use of Generations of biggest flags are artist Attilio Piccirilli to the wife the flag to civilian life. The Grand mentioned, as are extraordinary of Governor John Garland Pollard. Army of the Republic pushed for flag materials, including the duct- Taken together, these varied works flags to be displayed in schools tape flag produced by Scott Todd complement Virginia’s rich archival and churches around the country in New York City. Along with the resources and serve as an alterna- and also instituted the celebration explicit flag proceedings, Leepson tive text that documents the state’s of Memorial Day. The First and also regales the reader with how history and demonstrates changes Second World Wars brought wide- and why the national anthem, in artistic styles, conventions, and spread patriotic displays of the U.S. pledge of allegiance, and national tastes. flag by citizens in all the states, motto came into being. When the Virginia State Capi- and after those wars, groups such This highly readable history of tol closed for renovation in 2005 as the Veterans of Foreign Wars the flag is entertaining and infor- and many of its works of art were and the American Legion took mative for anyone with an interest temporarily removed, the Library up the push to keep the Stars and in United States history or flags. of Virginia, which oversees the Stripes in every citizen’s awareness. — reviewed by Maria Kimberly, collection’s care and conservation, Cold War tensions, Vietnam, and Project Editor selected about fifty paintings and civil unrest brought new mean- sculptures to display in a year- PAGE 40 VIRGINIA LIBRARIES JANUARY–MARCH, 2005 long exhibition. Tracy L. Kamerer, artist’s last name. Each essay con- xiv + 170 pp. $45.00 (hardcover). curator of the state art collection, tains a biographical sketch of the In continuous operation for and Barbara C. Batson, exhibitions artist that describes his (or, in one nearly three centuries, Blandford coordinator at the library, wrote instance, her) interests, training, Cemetery in Petersburg offers a A Capital Collection as a compan- and major accomplishments and time-traveling stroll through the ion volume that showcases many establishes the context in which history of the region, a primer on of the pieces on display and also his or her creations took shape. changing trends in funerary art includes other highlights of the The authors then discuss the sub- and ironwork, and, ultimately, a re- commonwealth’s collection. The ject of the featured piece, provid- vealing look at evolving American result is a striking combination of ing a biography of the person or a attitudes toward death and burial. full-page photographs and succinct description of the event depicted. So discovered author and photog- but informative essays that care- The text also addresses the particu- rapher John O. Peters in complet- fully examine each featured work. lar circumstances under which the ing this project for the Historic While several of the pieces depict painting or sculpture was executed Blandford Cemetery Foundation. landscapes or noteworthy events, and provides a brief evaluation of Peters, coauthor and photog- the majority of the works are por- rapher of Virginia’s Historic Court- traits of men (and a handful of houses (1995), began his relation- women) who at one time captured ship with the cemetery in October Virginians’ attention. Some of the The expressions on the 2003 when hired to photograph subjects remain familiar: George three men’s faces are the extensive damage caused by Washington, Patrick Henry, and Hurricane Isabel. As a writer and Stonewall Jackson figure promi- difficult to describe in architectural photographer famil- nently in the nation’s collective iar with how much of our nation’s memory, and their achievements words, underscoring the built history has been demolished, are amply represented. Other sub- important role these he appreciated Blandford Ceme- jects’ fame was more fleeting, and tery’s survivor status. the reproduction of their like- visual records play …. Built between 1735 and 1737 nesses gives modern audiences a on the highest point in the area, window into events that might BATSON/KAMERER REVIEW Blandford Church and its grave- otherwise be largely forgotten. A yard were transformed to a munic- fascinating example is James Wes- ipal cemetery after its acquisition thall Ford’s oil-on-canvas portrait the piece, pointing out details that by the town of Petersburg in 1819. of Wabokieshiek, Black Hawk, and might escape an untrained eye. Unfortunately, the town failed to Nasheaskuk, painted as the three Supplementing each essay is a sum- maintain it, and, between 1830 and Native American leaders passed mary of the work’s vital statistics, the start of the Civil War, Bland- through Richmond after their cap- including the year it was created, ford Church and Cemetery became ture by federal troops in Illinois. the medium, the size, the text of a crumbling moss- and ivy-covered The expressions on the three men’s any inscriptions, the state agency ruin, admired by visitors, writers, faces are difficult to describe in to which it belongs, and the means and artists as a romantic symbol of words, underscoring the important by which it entered the collection. the South. role these visual records play in al- By bringing Virginia’s state art In the early aftermath of the lowing us to connect with the past. collection to a wider audience, this Civil War, the newly formed Ladies Unfortunately, there are gaps in handsome book provides an impor- Memorial Association began hold- the state’s artistic record. The por- tant service to anyone interested in ing memorial ceremonies for the tion of the collection represented the commonwealth’s history. Lost Cause at Blandford Cemetery in this book includes no African — reviewed by Jennifer R. Loux, as early as 1866. That year also American subjects, a fact that both Research Associate, Dictionary of saw the start of the reinterment of reveals and obscures much about Virginia Biography thousands of Confederate dead at Virginia history. Blandford, most in a new section A Capital Collection is an in- of the cemetery called Memorial teresting read as well as a useful John O. Peters. Blandford Hill. reference work. The pieces of art, Cemetery: Death and Life at The cemetery continued to ex- with their well-documented ac- Petersburg, Virginia. Peters- pand, providing additional burial companying essays, appear in al- burg, Va.: Historic Bland- space over the years. In response phabetical order according to the ford Cemetery Foundation, 2005. to vandalism, the Historic Bland- JANUARY–MARCH, 2005 VIRGINIA LIBRARIES PAGE 41 ford Cemetery Foundation was Kent Masterson Brown. war-ravaged Virginia. Lee never in- organized in 1987 to restore and Retreat from Gettysburg: Lee, tended to fight while in Pennsylva- preserve the site. The foundation’s Logistics, and the Pennsylva- nia and skillfully maneuvered his efforts resulted in Blandford Cem- nia Campaign. Civil War army to protect both it and its for- etery’s being added to the National America Series. Gary W. Gallagher, agers. A chance encounter between Register of Historic Places in 1992. Series Editor. Chapel Hill and Lon- Confederate and Union forces and Peters notes many of the promi- don: University of North Carolina probably Lee’s own pugnacity led nent civic leaders buried in the Press, 2005. xv + 534 pp. $34.95 to a battle that did not need to be graveyard, as well as artists such as (hardcover). fought. After the battle, the gen- actor and Petersburg native Joseph On the afternoon of July 3, eral needed to withdraw his army, Cotten, who died in 1994, and ec- 1863, the soldiers in Pickett’s including the wounded, and his centrics such as Bennett Aldridge, Charge crested the top of Cemetery gathered supplies back to Virginia. known as “the most wicked man Ridge and briefly broke the Union This Lee did skillfully, maneu- in Petersburg” when he died in lines before receding back across vering his army to take defensive 1858. the fields littered with hundreds of advantage of the terrain it was The site holds a wealth of crafts- crossing. The Confederates were manship in marble, granite, and able to return to Virginia with their ironwork. Blandford Cemetery’s wagon trains and what wounded story, illustrated with photographic … skull and crossed bones men they could carry with them. details, shows how the words and gave way … to the more The pursuing Union army was images found on the fences, head- not able to attack and rout its op- stones, table and chest tombs, mau- hopeful Romanticism of ponent. Yet the Confederates were soleums, and monuments changed as fortunate as they were skillful. over the years. The eighteenth- weeping willows, angels, Despite rain and muddy roads, the ­century’s ominous “memento and the idea of death Potomac River remained passable, mori” with skull and crossed bones and Lee’s men were able to con- gave way in the nineteenth cen- as a kind of sleep. struct a bridge to cross. Also, the tury to the more hopeful Roman- Union army moved slowly as a re- ticism of weeping willows, angels, PETERS REVIEW sult of injuries and perhaps of a be- and the idea of death as a kind of lief that Lee’s army was larger than sleep. By the twentieth century, it actually was. By July 14, most of the memorial park with simplified, their dead and wounded comrades. Lee’s army, trains, wounded men, military-style gravestones was in To many historians and Civil War and prisoners were across the Po- vogue. buffs, this episode is known as the tomac River and in the Shenan- The author’s striking color and high-water mark of the Confedera- doah Valley. The army had more black-and-white photographs show­ cy. After the Battle of Gettysburg, provisions and fresh horses but had case the vistas and private nooks the long retreat to Virginia still left some of its best men behind. of the site in various moods. In faced the beaten Army of North- Brown contends that although addition, dozens of historic pho- ern Virginia. This retreat, in which Gettysburg was a tactical defeat, tographs and images enliven the General Robert E. Lee withdrew Lee’s Pennsylvania campaign, in- pages, including watercolor ren- his army from Northern soil while cluding his successful retreat with derings, stereoscopic cards, sheet skillfully protecting his replen- supplies and forage, was a strate- music, and even souvenir com- ished wagon trains and removing gic victory and that the balance memorative spoons. But this is many of his wounded men, is the of power between Confederate more than a coffee-table book. In subject of Kent Masterson Brown’s and Union armies remained. Yet addition to being an informative Retreat from Gettysburg: Lee, Logis- it should be noted that after Get- text, the book provides endnotes; a tics, and the Pennsylvania Campaign. tysburg, the Army of Northern bibliography; and lists of cemetery Beginning with a succinct ac- Virginia never took the strategic foundation officers, directors, and count of events leading up to the offensive again. Still, Brown’s Re- patrons that will be of use to re- battle, Brown reminds his readers treat from Gettysburg draws a vivid searchers, now and in the future. that Lee had two main goals in and detailed account of the days — reviewed by Ann E. Henderson, invading Pennsylvania. He hoped following the battle. Assistant Copyeditor to gather supplies for his men and — reviewed by Trenton E. Hizer, horses from fertile Pennsylvania Senior Finding Aids Archivist and to draw the Union army out of PAGE 42 VIRGINIA LIBRARIES JANUARY–MARCH, 2005

Anne Sarah Rubin. A Shat- the core beliefs of a new South- The long and honored history tered Nation: The Rise and ern self-identification. Old South of the United States Navy and its Fall of the Confederacy, 1861– and Confederate perceptions and protective presence throughout the 1868. Civil War America rhetoric informed debates about southern Chesapeake Bay is art- Series. Gary W. Gallagher, Series Reconstruction, the New South, fully interpreted by Bruce Linder Editor. Chapel Hill and London: and the future. in Tidewater’s Navy: An Illustrated University of North Carolina Press, Concentrating neither on politi- History. The Tidewater is one of 2005. x + 319 pp. $34.95 (hard- cal nor military sources, Rubin casts Virginia’s five major geographic re- cover). a wide net over the waters of public gions, located between the Atlantic Rather than a history of the Con- opinion in order to draw up insights Ocean and the fall line. This imag- federate States of America, as the from authors, editors, textbooks inary line runs north to south, title of this volume might suggest, writers, keepers of diaries, orators crossing the eastern Virginia rivers A Shattered Nation is an account of at commemorative events, and pri- at the points where their levels are the rise and fate of a shared con- vate discussions of changing pub- affected by tidal flow and no lon- sciousness of Confederate national- lic events. The attitudes of women ger navigable. Locally, however, ism, the counterpart that arose in “Tidewater” refers to those thriv- the seceded states during the Civil ing communities around Hampton War of those “mystic chords of Roads, a naturally protected harbor memory” to which Abraham Lin- … the French fleet created by the confluence of the coln referred in his first inaugural defeated the British James and Elizabeth Rivers, a gate- address in March 1861 to remind way to the Atlantic. all Americans that they belonged navy and helped deliver This region has been recog- to the same nation. Many students nized, since colonial times, for of Southern history have pondered a decisive victory for both its strategic and economic the question of whether residents of American independence. importance. Freedom of the seas the Southern states before the Civil and the protection of maritime War shared conceptions of regional LINDER REVIEW commerce were vital to sustaining unity or identity that may have the first English settlers and to the eased them into secession. Others success of nation-building. In Tide- have discussed whether an insuf- water’s Navy, Linder carefully chose ficiency of shared national iden- and other noncombatants are very the primary periods of American tification subtly undermined the conspicuous in A Shattered Nation history to explain the navy’s con- Confederate war effort. Anne Sarah and illuminate more than the old tribution to the area’s growth. Rubin does something entirely dif- studies of Confederate nationalism The world’s most powerful navies ferent: she asks what happened to or regional identity, which focused vied for control of Hampton Roads the sudden outpouring of Southern on political debates and the emo- during the American Revolution. patriotism that arose in 1861. tional consequences of camp life What began with the destruction Southerners were not Northern- and battlefield experiences. Includ- of Norfolk by Royal Navy bom- ers; Confederates were not Yankees. ing many hitherto unheard voices, bardment in January 1776 ended Committed Confederates — includ- A Shattered Nation is therefore an with the defeat of the British army ing soldiers and civilians, men and important addition to the continu- and naval forces at Yorktown in women, politicians and shapers of ing scholarly discussions of South- October 1781. The author also pro- public opinion — ceased early in ern distinctiveness and the adapta- vides a compelling narrative of one the war to identify themselves as tion of defeated Confederates to life of the last great sea battles between what they were not and developed back in the Union. sailing warships, known as the a conscious self-image as Confed- — reviewed by Brent Tarter, Editor, Battle of the Capes. In this engage- erates who possessed and defended Dictionary of Virginia Biography ment the French fleet defeated the a culture, political economy, and British navy and helped deliver a political tradition different from decisive victory for American inde- the ones of which they had been Bruce Linder. Tidewater’s pendence. a part before the Civil War. In de- Navy: An Illustrated History. From that time forward, Linder feat, that self-image endured, but Foreword by David Poyer. lays out the progression of the once the seceded states were forced Annapolis, Md.: Naval United States Navy’s increasing in- back into the Union, Confederate Institute Press, 2005. xiv + 343 pp. fluence on the region’s culture and nationalism evolved rapidly into $45.00 (hardcover). economy. By 1794, a permanent JANUARY–MARCH, 2005 VIRGINIA LIBRARIES PAGE 43 naval presence had been created at Nancy Bondurant Jones. the time and also the campus of Portsmouth’s Gosport Navy Yard. Rooted on Blue Stone Hill: the future. His goal was to create a The young nation’s first dry dock A History of James Madi- school “bound by no traditions, … was constructed there in 1833. In son University. Forewords unbiased by questions of the past, subsequent years, many warships by Linwood H. Rose and Ronald … made to fit our own time.” With built and maintained at that facil- E. Carrier. Santa Fe, N.M., and this vision in mind, Charles M. ity, commanded by such revered Staunton, Va.: Center for Ameri- Robinson, a Richmond architect, names as James Barron, Samuel can Places, in association with the designed the layout of the campus Barron, Stephen Decatur, and Mat- Community Foundation of Harri- incorporating buildings of “dis- thew C. Perry, sailed the globe in sonburg and Rockingham County, tinctive blue limestone walls and defense of American interests. 2004. viii + 288 pp. $39.95 (hard- red, Spanish-tiled roofs.” Civil War historians often neglect cover). In subsequent sections of the the important naval aspects of As James Madison University book, Jones examines the admin- America’s most tragic conflict. In prepares to celebrate its centennial istrations of succeeding presidents. 1862, Hampton Roads hosted the In 1919, Samuel P. Duke became world’s first combat between iron- the second president of the school. clad warships, CSS Virginia and The Burruss years had seen the USS Monitor. The author devotes His goal was to create campus population expand, and an entire chapter to this one event a school “bound by no Duke continued that focus by and clearly links this innovative increasing the facilities and also technology for ship design and traditions, … unbiased attracting and retaining faculty construction to the area’s emerg- through greater compensation. The ing naval importance. by questions of the name of the school was changed in The Tidewater experienced ex- past, … made to fit 1924 to the State Teachers College traordinary growth in the twen- at Harrisonburg and again in 1938 tieth century resulting from the our own time.” to Madison College. Men were able military build-up during two world to enroll at Madison College begin- wars. Federal government invest- JONES REVIEW ning in 1946, although there were ment within the region created a restrictions on their attendance. In sudden population expansion at- 1949 George Tyler Miller succeeded tracted to new jobs. Local govern- in 2008, Nancy Bondurant Jones Duke. Continuing the pattern of ments’ ability to provide sufficient explores the history of the insti- growth, the college broadened housing and services was strained tution in Rooted on Blue Stone Hill. the range of degrees it offered. In while the local residents struggled She uses a variety of sources to cap- 1971, Ronald E. Carrier became the to adapt to the inevitable social ture student life and the evolution fourth president of Madison Col- changes. Now, the influx of navy of the State Normal and Industrial lege. He envisioned an institution families has increased the local School for Women at Harrisonburg of diverse population and diverse economy and strengthened social into the present-day James Madi- opportunity. Sweeping changes ties. Over the past sixty years many son University. and improvements continued — the threats have arisen, but Hampton The book is divided into four result of a growth in student popu- Roads’ naval readiness has led the parts, each coinciding with the lation, the subsequent campus way in the defense of freedom. term of one of the first four presi- construction, and the continued Tidewater’s Navy is primarily dents of the institution. The first enhancement of the curriculum. written from a historical admin- section is devoted to the admin- In 1977, Madison College became istrative perspective and offers istration of Julian Ashby Burruss, James Madison University. little insight into the important president of the State Normal and Jones effectively tells the story of roles assumed by women or Afri- Industrial School for Women at James Madison University through can Americans in the navy. Bruce Harrisonburg from 1908 until many examples. Of note are the ex- Linder, however, has produced an 1919. This section focuses on the tensive photographs gathered from entertaining and informative refer- establishment of the school and its the University Archives and Special ence book that will benefit history many challenges, including attract- Collections, as well as from alum- students and delight sailors past ing students and setting up the ni, that illustrate many aspects of and present. physical campus. Actively involved student life. Also included are per- — reviewed by R. Thomas Crew, in all aspects of the new school, sonal accounts from alumni shar- Jr., Senior Research Archivist Burruss envisioned a campus of ing their experiences at the school. PAGE 44 VIRGINIA LIBRARIES JANUARY–MARCH, 2005

Combining personal examples Ellen Glasgow. Glasgow struggled ferent from their American sisters with an administrative overview of with a serious hearing impairment and wore dresses in “flaming col- the college, Jones presents an en- virtually all of her adult life; read- ors” and “immense bonnets.” She gaging glimpse of the history and ing a friend’s letter made her “feel reported to her sister, Rebe, that the student life of James Madison Uni- as if we had talked for hours.” Cor- figs and the wine were delicious in versity. This book is an attractive, respondence allowed Glasgow to Naples; she described shopping for informative, and timely look at one chat in a way that was nearly im- a coat for her secretary Anne Vir- of Virginia’s public universities. possible face-to-face. ginia Bennett in London (select- — reviewed by Laura Drake Davis, Glasgow had an attachment to ing “the only one that seemed … State Records Archivist fine writing paper and preferred to have any room about the hips”) customized stationery. At home and praised the atmosphere in in Richmond she used paper en- the Rockies (“a mingling of sage Pamela R. Matthews, ed. graved with her address, One West & pine & ambrosial sunshine”). Perfect Companionship: Ellen Main Street, and on vacation she The letters likewise reveal much Glasgow’s Selected Correspon- used letterhead provided by hotels about Glasgow herself: she had dence with Women. Charlot- her hair waved at the Jefferson in tesville and London: University of the 1930s, disliked high heels, and Virginia Press, 2005. xlvi + 324 pp. chided her sister for writing letters $49.50 (hardcover). Glasgow’s primary in pencil (which Glasgow found Readers who delve into Pamela emotional attachments hard to read). She loved reading R. Matthews’s thoughtful collection Thomas Hardy’s works, never saw of Ellen Glasgow’s letters will learn were to women… the movie version of In This Our more about the author as a writer Life, and wore a “Wilkie for Presi- and a person. The correspondence MATTHEWS REVIEW dent” pin in 1940. collected in Perfect Companionship The letters are accompanied begins in 1884 with a letter to her by eleven black-and-white photo- aunt (Ellen Glasgow, age ten, used and ships or ordered paper with graphs and a wealth of useful fea- stationery featuring a turtle on a her summer address in Maine. tures, including a substantial in- sled) and ends with her death in Over the years there was mourn- troduction, a complete chronology 1945. Glasgow corresponded with ing paper edged in black; colored of Glasgow’s life, a comprehensive more than 100 women in the span stationery in shades of gray, blue, calendar listing all of her known of almost 50 years, leaving nearly and ivory; and note cards large and correspondence with women, and 700 extant letters. The 255 letters small. The quality and color of her a biographical register identifying printed here effectively illustrate writing paper mattered to Glasgow. all correspondents and persons that Glasgow’s primary emotional “Whatever surface she covered with mentioned in the letters. Perfect attachments were to women — the her words,” Matthews explains, Companionship is a valuable book perfect companions of the book’s “had to be just right.” Glasgow’s for Glasgow scholars, but will also title. handwriting was hard to read, but appeal to those interested in liter- Ellen Glasgow wrote regularly her typing skills were even worse: ary history, women’s history, and to her friends, her sisters, her fel- she forgot to space after commas, the South. This excellent collec- low writers, and other female ac- typed over partially erased text, tion will enable its readers to envi- quaintances, among them artists, and neglected to return the car- sion Ellen Glasgow as she settles in publishing figures, and spouses riage at the end of a line. with a cup of hot milk, pulls out of literary and academic figures. Glasgow’s letters are full of her paper, and writes. Her letters to women are less self- news, opinions, and the details of — reviewed by Jennifer Davis Mc- conscious, less crafted, and less life. Travel and the world around Daid, Deputy Coordinator, State His- guarded than her correspondence her are vividly described. English torical Records Advisory Board VL with men. As primary documents, women, she observed on her first these letters help to reveal the real trip abroad in 1896, were very dif-