James Carville - Library Champion!

I just got word from Jane Dysart about a talk James Carville gave at SLA Conference. Read her post and then watch the video!! Thanks Jane for pointing this out!

James Carville loves libraries, and has since he was a boy. In answer to questions following his keynote talk (with his wife, Mary Matalin) at the Special Libraries Association conference last June in New Orleans, Carville shared some wonderful comments. I asked James (through wonderful SLA staffers Kristin Foldvik and Cara Schatz) if we could share those comments online via SLA’s TV channel, and he agreed. See Carville and hear his comments about his local library (a book mobile every other week on Thursday afternoon) and the impact on his life.

In addition, he had sage advice for libraries regarding their message to those who hold the purse strings — keep it simple and use an analogy, like comparing the closing of libraries to extinguishing candles, to make the point clearly and effectively.

Carville said, "It’s better to light one candle than curse the darkness.” When libraries close it’s like “hundreds of candles being extinguished. Close a library, blow out a candle.” ”Closing libraries is like eating seed corn, it makes no sense.”

Powerful imagery.

Thanks for your support, suggestions and advocacy for libraries, James Carville!