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December 11, 2000
Press contact: Guy Lamolinara (202) 707-9217
Public contact: See www.loc.gov/ala for complete details

Library Of Congress To Host Numerous Events During Midwinter Meeting Of American Library Association In Washington

The Library of Congress is hosting a variety of programs, including special tours, presentations, symposia and work experiences, for attendees of the 2001 American Library Association Midwinter Meeting, from Jan. 12 through Jan. 16.

A complete schedule of events and locations, as well as registration forms, can be found at www.loc.gov/ala. Some programs require advance registration, as space is limited. Shuttle buses will run to and from convention hotels and the convention center and the Library of Congress. Metro stop: Capitol South, Blue or Orange line.

The Library will also be exhibiting at the Washington Convention Center, Booth No. 1628. There, ALA attendees can obtain information about such Library projects as the National Digital Library Program www.loc.gov, the new America's Library Web site for kids and families www.americaslibrary.gov, products from the Cataloging Distribution Service, Center for the Book Programs, services of the National Library Service for the Blind and Physically Handicapped, Photoduplication Services, employment opportunities, the U.S. Copyright Office and more.

Following are some highlights:

"Library of Congress Individual Work Experiences"
January 11, 12, 13, 16

• L ibrary of Congress Individual Work Experiences Program is an opportunity to learn more about the work of the diverse staff at the Library. Participants may choose to "shadow" a Library staff member in one of the following areas: Library Administration, Acquisitions, Cataloging, Copyright Office, National Digital Library Program, Information Technology Services, Law Library, Local History and Genealogy Reading Room, Main Reading Room, Specialized Reference and Reader Services and Preservation.
  

January 12

• 1:30-5:30 p.m. "Building the Virtual Reference Desk in a 24/7 World." Co-hosted with OCLC, this symposium on digital reference will bring together experts in the field to discuss the growing trend of remote access to library resources.
  
• 11 a.m.-12 p.m. and 3-4 p.m. "Behind the Scenes of a Conservation Laboratory." The Conservation Division is offering tours of its laboratory to interested ALA participants. Learn more about the Library's Conservation laboratory and the most up-to-date methods of conserving print materials.
• 1-3 p.m. with a tour of the facility 3-4:15 p.m. "Physically Handicapped: A Digital Future." A special program and tour for ALA participants addressing the progress of the National Library Service for the Blind and Physically Handicapped in moving from analog to digital recordings of its books and magazines and development of a digital player and how this change will affect the network of cooperating libraries and the eligible blind and physically handicapped residents of the United States who use this program.

January 13

• 5 :30-7 p.m. "Map and Chart Library Forum: Cooperative Map Cataloging." The Geography and Map Division of the Library of Congress and the National Imagery and Mapping Agency are co-hosting an ad hoc forum to discuss the cataloging and sharing of cartographic library records. This forum is open to all who have an interest in standardizing, cataloging and sharing these records.
  
  

January 17

• 1-3 p.m. "Recorded Sound and Moving Image Collections." This program offers attendees a behind-the-scenes view of the recorded sound and moving image collections of the Motion Picture, Broadcasting and Recorded Sound Division. Other offerings include "Digital Collections of the Library of Congress," tours of the restored 1897 Thomas Jefferson Building, a U.S. Copyright Office tour and reading room tours.
  

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PR 00-190
12-11-00
ISSN 0731-3527