EASE OF ACCESS TO BOOKS PRAISED BY AUTHOR BRYSON

During the annual meeting of NELINET, the New England Library Network, author Bill Bryson described the benefits of living in Hanover, N.H., a town of just 5,000. Nora Rawlinson, editor-in-chief of Publishers Weekly, spoke on the current economic climate in the publishing industry and the changing publishers strategies for the future.

"I'm amazed that a community of just 5,000 people could support such a friendly, well-stocked, open-at-all-hours institution," Bryson said, describing the Howe Library. He said he was able to do 90% of his basic research for his new book, A Short History of Nearly Everything, from the journals and books at the library. He said that what libraries do is more heroic than they sometimes realize. "It's comforting to know that we live in a society and age where we can be completely blasé and carefree about our constant access to books and journals. Thank you for making what you do seem so effortless."

"In tough times, tolerance for failure is low," Rawlinson said, "but this is exactly the time when innovation is needed most." She encouraged librarians, unlike publishers who are too focused on short-term thinking, to "look at the big picture and begin making investments in new ideas and innovations."

-Reprinted from Library Hotline, June 23, 2003