Transcripts For CSPAN2 Conversation With Librarian Of Congre

account up first lady. she released a children's book and offered a coffee table book. in her first book it takes a village she argued that society shares the responsibility with parents for raising children. the first several titles released in the 1980s and 90s are accounts of his business transactions and real estate companies. in the early 2000 he released several financial self-help books. in his two most recent books he outlines outlined his vision for american prosperity. several of these books have been discussed on book tv and you can find them on our website book tv.org. >> can you remember the first moment that you are asked about being the librarian of congress. >> i can remember that. i was surprised. i had been advising and consulting because this was an opportunity for the -- for the library community to weigh in on what would be needed for the library of congress going into the next few decades in so my name was put forward as a person as a person they should talk too. that went on for a little while. would you consider being considered for the position yourself it took me back a little bit. and then had to think about what i was currently doing the public service in the city that have the public library be the state library baltimore and maryland i was really working on some issues. how can i go from serving the community to serving the country. and what contribution could i make. and what i had been privy to and what i knew was contained here and how excited i always am to be able to share that. with more people was really the turning point for me. or doing something for the world's largest library but an opportunity to make that library everyone's library. in fact, that's how the opportunity was presented to me. would you serve as the next laboring of congress. so when you first came to the library as a nominee did you say to somebody here i want to see that and what was it if you did. i wanted to see abraham lincoln's life mask i have seen years before and i was mistakingly telling people all those years that i have seen as death mask. it's actually rendering. he have it for months before he was assassinated. so i wanted to see the item again with the understanding that when that mask was cast he was alive and that was a moment. my family is from illinois. have a couple of personal book shells on lincoln my puma is buried in the same cemetery that lincoln is buried and. that really resonated with me. the thing i like most. the fact that income to some of those things. that we admire now. to think about what was going on in the home. in all of these things. that there was acumen behind this person it's what caused a lot of people to link and lincoln what he accomplished. >> what year did you read it. when you mentioned the title. >> i was about seven or eight so that was about 1961 or so. i went to a grammar school in jamaica queens. right across the street i cannot remember if the library and gave gave me that or anybody like that. this book was put in my hand and it was a book that featured a little let african-american girl who was a brownie that to pigtails. there was a piano. there was a thanksgiving dinner. all of these things that just spoke to me as a child. i thought i looked like her. i thought about we are still working on diversity until these books. they have windows on the world and we all talk about that a lot to let them see something. books hold knowledge. >> born in tallahassee, lived in queens grip in the chicago area. how did all of that happen collects. >> i think we talked about my parents being musicians. that's in tallahassee florida. when i was up five or so he always liked it. he liked jazz too. classical by day and jazz by night he connected with another musician some people know him as cannonball. off they go to new york the next thing you know i met birdland having shirley temples. and that was quite an experience but my parents divorced when i was ten. then we move moved back to illinois. the first thing she said was your grandmother was right. i never thought being a librarian library would lead to this. she's can be a librarian. she is no musical talent. that's good. she was still amazed. my love of books and all of this. it turned into something that required her to hold the lincoln bible's were new. >> know that you brought it up is sitting right there on the table is so gives me chills. my mother was very nervous about holding the lincoln bible it symbolizes so much to not only our family but just what it meant and she is very nervous about that because your touching history and this is something that touched a person that you respect so much in that connection and i have to say that something i hope in my tenure i'll be able to do even more of to connect people with history to make sure they understand these are real people . >> how much do you read? >> probably a little too much. i am a reader that will rate just about anything that has text. i connected and it took me years to really realize i connected with text the same my parents connected with the notation in one day i said while they can look at notes and hear music and i can look at text and hear words. it's almost the same thing. i just now have a balcony where i have a reading spot usually i can tell when a very tired if i can't read in bed as the signal. when folks found out i was can we talking with you i think three different people for whatever reason want to know are you to continue to live in baltimore and commute to baltimore. i think because i'm from the midwest and in the southern parts of illinois going from danville to champaign to do something is not unusual. i will stay in baltimore because it has become home. i've been there now 23 years my mother moved from illinois to baltimore. i am looking forward to being a civilian in baltimore but is city that really grabs you a city with so many characters there so many characters there because it nurtures creativity if you have to make a choice would you rather read fiction or nonfiction. however, i would go for nonfiction. i love history. i can read all of those things but i really like to read the queens bed about queen elizabeth the first and all of the intrigue around that. so history can more --dash be more exciting than fiction. over time a couple of books in the history that you really liked. i really cannot with eleanor roosevelt. the only school that was founded by eleanor roosevelt. to read those with history it's like reading fiction and that's the best type of history writing sometimes. read it that night. it makes you want to know all of this. when did you first meet michelle and barack obama. >> in chicago. i was keep teaching and there had have been certain points in my life right had to make decisions and go back to public service and that. this is one of those times. i have arrived back in chicago from pittsburgh to be the deputy commissioner the chief librarian of the chicago public library. the first lady was working with the city administration that was there. that's when i met her and then later her fiancé. it was something years later to meet in a professional setting and different roles. >> how important do you think that connection way back in chicago led to your choice as librarian? >> i don't know if it if it led to the choice. i think it was probably one of the most ironic things to have a name put forward i had been part of the institute of library services. my name was a part of the professional library. what was your dissertation about. it was about serving young people and museums. i was working at the museum of science and industry in chicago and i was working to open the first public service library and a science museum in the country that was really interesting because most museum libraries are not open to the public they are for the curators and educators here you can open up a a library but you will let those visitors come in and what were they can do. it got me really interested not only in our special libraries but also museums and so i took some courses and things basically what i was saying at that time in the 80s is that libraries public libraries in particular needed to use some of the methods that they use to engage young people. negative going to public libraries all over the country. and not just books but things as well. a baltimore resident said to me when i said i was coming over to interview you. movie night. there is a fundraiser. >> young people dancing and theme related in the library. in connecting books and a beer and all of that. it's quite something. when he went to baltimore 23 years ago what did you do there that you are the most proud of. it was an innovative library for years. at a time when the city was growing in the city that had racial challenges. i did not know as much about baltimore. they are down 21 branches and everywhere i would go in baltimore people would have a library story. people from all walks of life. what i'm most pleased about is that over the time that i've been there we head for the vitalize vitalize the french libraries. that is a lifetime. all of the senior staff members. we made a poster. we may have to stop that. there are a lot of people in the cities. to file for jobs. all types of things to make it less intimidating. the last place to go. i wait to start getting adults in. whatever level you are coming on. what is the first thing you said. it is moving forward. and there is a wonderful book that i think about with change. it is called teaching the elephant to dance if to be careful. how do you get it to move in be nimble. dedicated and helping the part of that. this library has changed in so many ways. you come here under the new law. they served almost 30 years. even longer. you have lawyers and politicians and scholars and historians. along the way. so many opportunities but challenges. things are moving so rapidly to give an opportunity to step back and say where are we and ten years and ready hope to be that hundred 62 million and 62 million items that would be something. i think it is healthy to look at an institution at different periods of time. >> how much is digitized today? >> even though i have just been sworn in and thinks. i want to really get in the weeds with that and look. i know there are number of collections the rosa parks collection that was just digitized. to work with the staff to say how many things are available online, things are in the queue and i'm pretty sure there are a number of things and whole collections that are ready and to see if we can match some of those collections in those needs with potential donors it would help with the process. >> this is a question for someone who is never been to the library of congress and doesn't have a clue as to what they can see or do i get my first library of congress card what would you suggest to somebody that is intimidated by the big buildings and when you think about the temple of knowledge and information and looks like a massive tower of information we encourage people to come in. it's something i'm can be working on quite soon is to make sure the public knows not only can they come in and see one of the only three copies of the gutenberg bible they can see thomas jefferson and his original library that helped to start the library of congress. we will be really working to say when you walk into the library what can you do. you can go into that and do things. you can go into the music department and see sheet music from decades and hundreds of years ago. that is a challenge i think we need to read more about it i want the american public to know more about it it's congresses library but it's also america's library. i want them to be able to walk in somewhere in this library system and say dr. carl hayden told me to come here and ask me where would you send them. the first thing the person should do is to go up to a wonderful information desk and talk to the person that's their they can also go into the madison building and there is an adams building they can say i'm interested in jerry lewis films i am interested in this information you head about rosa parks. i'm interested in finding out something about my family's history. i understand that you have newspapers that go back and i'm trying to find my great grandfather when they go to the information that is where you go that is your first point of contact and that person will tease out of you what do you need and make that connection to that vast resource that is here and even in other places. let's say they can't travel here. how do you figure out what's there. that is where the power of technology really helps. the website should be able to direct you almost in the same way. you can assert, even a type in what you are looking for and you will get a response the aspect that i'm excited about. making sure that that website is just as responsive almost as you talking to a person in getting that. the people won't get the technology world ernest at your confirmation hearing the subject of the research came up. and there seems to be a quiet movement that the public ought to see the product that 700 people in the congressional resource. what do you think have you studied that anymore since your confirmation. we've all known that the congressional research service it is a library of congress that's how it started is like the special forces of the libraries. they are analysts, librarians specials in different areas. that prepared research and analysis for the members of congress to inform their work and the reports are available by request from your particular member. if you know someone is working on something. i think that i've heard different aspects of how much of the information and when the information should be ready or available to the public so that's an area that i think is still being looked at because there is quite a bit of research that goes into forming a report. let's say a member of congress calls up the research service and says i need a report on the b-52 bomber. what is your personal instinct was that was supplied the member should that be in the public domain. >> that is a complex issue. what was it prepared for. i think working with congress on it. it's good to be of decision to find out how the members are really looking at what the research service provides to them and i have always been in contact with some members of that. in a way that will benefit congress and the people they serve. what is your sense of having talked to members of congress about the future of the budget for a place like this? must tell you that one of the most pleasant part of the entire confirmation has been meeting with members and their sincere appreciation for the library of congress. a lot of them are interested in history. they are interested in the working civil rivalry i think there is a lot of support for the library. but is it enough support given the time it's in. that's what i've been really excited about working with the members and already had been indications that they see the value of the library and appreciate it. that is a very good position to be in as you are in an environment where there are physical checks and balances into needs and needs and things like that. i have a political question. you are approved overwhelmingly however remember there was 14 members the voted against it. from what i understand there might've been a concern about some of my professional affiliations the stands that they have taken specifically in that segment. i was representing 65,000 members when you agreed to be the representative you are the spokesperson for the group. i'm a card carrying member. that was an honor for me it also puts you in a different arena in terms of being the spokesperson for particular views and i think there was some concern in the rural that's not representing a profession that i might be and still have strong views that i expressed about express about certain things. and making sure that people can give information are you comfortable in the way that the law is now with the patriot act? basically their concerns were heard there is a consciousness in the balance of security you have yet to have that balance with personal liberty and it was a pretty difficult time when it was enacted. before we close i want to ask you to define where the library and is beyond the obvious and why do people feel so strongly about this purpose? we like to say that librarians are the original search engines their people who help other people get the information the resources even the entertainment that they need for their lives. or they may want. they can also tell them what the latest novel is whether favorite author. the librarians are people who help people. the librarians are people who help people. information on to follow up on. it's interesting when you say is your dad still with us some of his music that i mentioned he was also a studio musician. he still talk music and everything. sometimes i minimal and i can hear my dad playing background on a song and that is quite a feeling who is your favorite jazz musician. i actually met him i have always felt that there was something about him and eight or 9-year-old to have a person. i didn't have an idea of how cool he was there. i knew about the london house. that was a group that they took things you could still hear their music. i knew about the london house. it was something. >> chicago was quite something for music. the new librarian of congress think you so much for your time. the book is titled first first ladies presidential historians on the lives of 45 iconic american women. it's now out in paperback. let's talk about hillary clinton one of the first ladies are featured in it featured in the book. she talks about her role during eight years of the husband's presidency. what will they learn about how she approached the position. >> at their semi- different scenes from her life potentially being president. how she handles the press he takes us back when things were really getting rough during the campaign and 92 and she was with her when gennifer flowers came out on television. and what she wrote about hillary in terms of how she handled that not so much on that problem but the republicans. it was a real window into how she was very political. i think so. she didn't do a lot of interviews but as a communicator i think you can read much of that chapter and figure out who she is as a politician. i think the first part of the chapter they said this is the most well-known woman in the world. she is capitalizing on that. she did deliver a speech at her husband's nominating convention if donald trump is elected are there parallels or lessons that she can take from previous first ladies. she's 46. they've a small child who will be ten or 11 years of. there are parallels to other first ladies who may have not been as into the role or as active even in jaclyn kennelly --dash mike kennedy but behind the scenes she is wielding power. and i get the sense that she's gonna be able to do what she did and go back to independence missouri. the media is different. i think she will play a role. >> were seen michelle obama on the campaign trail a lot of this fall. has she evolved she just did an event that we covered with laura bush. it's almost a window into her first priority was the kids. you can see all of the things that she has taken on since then. it comes back to what a lot of first ladies you. the event in the event she did was about military veterans. there are commonalities between a lot of first ladies but i think she has grown and the role. it's hard to have two kids as you look back what you think people will learn about these women. >> are they really involved in policy or behind the scenes may be like a laura bush or even michelle obama they have the ear of the president and it's can be very interesting if it's bill clinton who has the ear or trumpet. some of them very political. the platform that they had had it goes back to eleanor roosevelt who really try to redefine deposition. we've seen that change in the modern presidencies. it's fascinating to watch them in the era of film and television. michelle obama will be a tough one to follow. they had have a lot of practice in the public spotlight it is a role of a lifetime for a lot of them. thank you. here is a look at some upcoming book fairs and festivals around the country. they're held in nashville tennessee beginning october 14. as a boston book festival. it is that wisconsin book festival that takes place at the downtown madison public public library and october 22. at the state capital another downtown locations. for more information about the book fairs and festivals into what previous festival.

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