ERIC ED337201: White House Conference on Library and Information Services: Keynote Addresses, Remarks, and Presented Papers (2nd, Washington, D.C., July 9-13, 1991).

101 Pages·1991·4.9 MB·English

by  ERIC

DOCUMENT RESUME
IR 053 803
ED 337 201
White House Conference on Library and Information
TITLE
Services: Keynote Addresses, Remarks, and Presented
Papers (2nd, Washington, D.C., July 9-13, 1991).
National Commission on Libraries and Information
INSTITUTION
Science, Washington, D. C.
91
PUB DATE
101p.; For additional conference-related materials,
NOTE
see IR 053 790-804.
Collected Works - Conference Proceedings (021)
PUB TYPE
MF01/PC05 Plus Postage.
EDRS PRICE
*Access to Information; *Democracy; Information
DESCRIPTORS
Technology; *Library Collections; *Library Role;
Library Services; *Literacy; *Productivity; Public
Libraries; Technological Advancement
*White House Conference Library Info Services
IDENTIFIERS
ABSTRACT
This collection of addresses, remarks, and papers
presented at the second White House Conference on Library and
Information Services (WHCLIS2) includes excerpts from remarks made by
First Lady Barbara Bush, President George Bush, Marilyn Quayle, and
William T. Esrey of United Telecommunications, Inc., and keynote
addresses by Mary Futrell from the Center for the Study of Education
and National Development at George Washington University, and Major
R. Owen, Chairman of the Select Education Subcommittee of the House
Education ane Labor Committee ("Libraries in America 2000"). These
presentations speak to the three conference themes of Literacy,
Democracy, and Productivity. Also included in the collection are: (1)
"Moving from 'Special Services' to Universal Access" (Deborah Kaplan,
Associate Director of Public Education, World Institute on
Disability); (2) remarks by Gordon M. Ambach in introducing Lamar
Alexander (U.S. Secretary of Education) together with remarks by
Alexander; (3) "The GOPAC Project" (Newt Gingrich, U.S. Congressman
from Georgia); (4) reruarks by Paul Simon (U.S. Senator from
Illinois), and (5) remarks by James Billington (Librarian of
Congress). (MAB)
**************** ***** **************************************************
Reproductions supplied by EDRS are the best that can be made
from the original document.
***********************************************************************
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White House Conference on Library and Information Services:
Keynote Addresses, Remarks, and Presented Papers
(2nd, Washington, D.C., July 9-13, 1991)
Excerpts from remarks by:
First Lady Barbara Bush
President George Bush
Marilyn Quay!e
and
William T. Esrey, Chairman and CEO
United Telecommunications, Inc
Keynote Addresses by:
Mary Futrell, Senior Fellow
Center for the Study of Education and National Development
George Washington University
Hon. Major R. Owen
U.S. Congressman from New York
Chairman of the Select Education Subcommittee
of the House Education and Labor Committee
Papers and Remarks Presented by:
Deborah Kaplan, Director of Public Education
World Institute on Disability
Lamar Alexander
U.S. Secretary of Education
Hon. Newt Gingrich
U.S. Congressman from Georgia
Hon. Paul Simon
U.S. Senator from Illinois
Dr. James Billington
Librarian of Congress
BEST COPY AVAILABLE
Excerpts from Kre. Bush's remarks at the 1991 White !rouse
Conference on Library and Information Serviced au Wednesday, auly
10, 1991, Washington Convention Center Nall As
(Provided for publication in the White Rouse C-nference on
Library and Information Services newspaper)
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THE WHITE HOUSE
Office of the Press Secretary
July 10, 1991
For Immediate Release
REMARKS BY THE PRESIDENT
AT THE WHITE HOUSE CONFERENCE
ON LIBRARY AND INFORMATION SERVICES
'Me D.C. Convention Center
Washington, D.C.
1:50 P.M. EDT
Thank you all very much for th.ai welcome, and may I
THE PRESIDENT:
What a job
thank our marvelous band over there who brought us the music. (Applause.)
And may I, at the outset of these comments, thank those
they always do.
(Applause.)
who have served and worked so hard to make this successful event a reality -- Charles
I'm glad his family's
Reid, the Chairman of the White House Conference -- (Applause.)
Richard Akeroyd, the Cochairman; and Jean
Joseph
Curtis,
(Laughter.)
there.
out
Fitzsimmons and all the rest of you out them who have participated in this very active,
and, I am told, successful conference. And welcome to all the state delegates out there.
I just checked in with the boss
First, let me say I am delighted to be here.
of the East Wing of the White House -- that is Barbara Pierce Bush -- (laughter)
and
(applause) -- she was just so pleased with the response, and she is so
she, who --
intimately involved in the work of all of you, but of many of you specifically in
this
kindness and courtesy to
room. And I just wanted to say that I appreciate very much your
her.
Since presidents seem to get their own libraries -- (laughter) -- goes with the
it's nice not to worry that one of you will try to collect my overdue fines.
territory --
(Laughter.)
And, you know, a member of my
I'm proud of our country's libraries.
Ironically, Millie is not allowed to
family wrote a book that's available in most of them.
(Laughter.) And there's a great injustice and discrimination out there.
get a library card.
That book,
it just shows you the power of books.
Incidentally, that book
(Laughter.)
which was written to benefit Barbara's educational foundation -- maybe she mentioned it
is raised for that educational cause over $1,100,000.
this morning, I don't know -- but it
And I
It shows you the power of books, and the power of what can happen.
(Applause.)
know you all understand what I mean by that.
You know, Franklin Delano Roosevelt once gave his son James some advice
To give a good speech, he said, you
that I've always tried to follow; sometimes I fail.
Well, I promise to do all
must "be sincere, you must be brief and be seated."
(Laughter.)
not because I'm not enthralled with the work of the conference, but
because
three,
Prime
tomorrow Barbara and I leave for Maine, where I will be receiving the Japanese
Kennebunkport contingent over here -- (laughter) -- and receive
(applause)
Minister
--
--
the Japanese Prime Minister and then go on -- we both head abroad for the G-7 meeting
So you've caught us at the beginning or at the end of
and then on to Greece and Turkey.
a busy week, and the beginning of another one.
But I am glad to be here with you today, because this magnificent event
the world has changed dramatically
And let's face it:
builds upon years of hard work.
The thirst tor
since the last White House Conference on Library and Information Services.
New and amazing technologies have
freedom has swept aside the acceptance of tyranny.
Books, faxes, computer disks, television broadcasts
made ideas accessible to everyone.
have simply shattered the reign of ignorance and created a whole new world of enterprise,
competition and, with it, intellectual growth.
So you have come together from across this land to honor a common,
exciting dream -- the dream of making this the greatest nation that it can possibly be.
(Applause.)
The
Your poster
challenge.
this
of
essence
beautifully
captures
the
background picture of the world emphasizes the fact that we now live in a world united by
information highways and joined in productive competition.
The three photographs superimposed over that globe represent your three
An open book, surrounded by other books,
Literacy, productivity and democracy.
goals:
And again, with great pride,
reminds us that the quest for the future begins with literacy.
Barbara has joined many of you, and she has devoted a great deal of time to this
Because, you see, she knows and you all know better
fundamental and important cause.
Illiteracy
than most Americans that to open a book is to open the doors of opporiunity.
our minds.
bars tho.e doors and it wastes our :mg precious resource
Now, I can talk
Second on your poster is a photo of a computer keyboard.
Marginally qualified to talk about computers now.
about computers now.
(Laughter.)
But seriously, part of our education America 2000 Strategy is
(Laughter and applause.)
So a couple of
that nobody is too old to learn, and I think it 's a very important concept.
months ago I decidfx1 to keep up with our grand:hildren, nct just in Nintendo, but I mean
And it's
So I
started taking lessons.
in trying to learn how to run one of these things.
and we've
youngsters understand the teelmology upon which our future rests,
amazing
got to rush to catch up with them.
Technology can make us more productive as a society, and information
Our kids will need high-tech skiils to
technology arms us with unprecedented power.
And we already know they have
compete in the global marketplace of the 21st century.
And
we've seen them create a computer industry out of virtually nothing.
the character:
3
in the Gulf, we've seen them turn these sophisticated weapons into not what some would
instance, tools of liberation.
want us have believe are totally tools of destruction -- in this
And if we want to let our national spirit soar, we must cultivate ideas and knowledge.
Perhaps no one will play a bigger role in setting the American spirit aloft than the very
people in this room.
(Applause.)
Already,
You will help us explore and conquer a new electronic frontier.
these fiber optic cables carry billions of pieces of information in a wire as thin as a strand
computers combine music
Satellite systems beam information around the world,
of hair.
and video and text for interactive teaching systems, opening up whole new horizons for our
And as I look at this, and I expect as you look
fantastic teachers all across this country.
at it, we recognize that this is just a beginning.
ccnnmunications
and
computing
performance
administration's
high
The
Now, this network would
initiative proposes developing a national information network.
offer high-speed computing capabilities to research and educational institutions. And it also
the experience necessary to develop a broader, privately-operated
would give experts
such an infrastructure would allow all Americans to share
naticnal information network.
quality information and entertainment when and where they want -- and at a reasonable
cost.
This amazing beginning equips us to take on the challenge of democracy --
Thomas Jefferson once wrote, "A
symbolized again in your poster by our Constitution.
Jefferson knew that
democratic society depends upon an informed and educated citizenry."
A sound
education is not a trivia game -- a contest to acquire little scraps of data.
education informs our passion and protects our values, and instills respect for the truth.
and our world's greatest and
Information is democracy's greatest and surest weapon
surest hope.
I know that you don't often get credit as
I expect -- well, put it this way, --
of
infonnation
science
and
library
the
think
often,
people
revolutionaries. Too
But in
professionals as people who go around saying, "Shhhhhh!" -- do that for a living.
fact -- and this is the way we look at it in the Bush family, and I say family advisedly --
all of this
you preserve democracy's greatest
Barbara is my anchor to windward in
(Applause.)
resource -- the ideas that have helped reshape an entire world.
Earlier this year -- and I hope all are familiar with it -- we introduced a new
America 2000 isn't another slogan, wrap-
America 2000 we call
education strategy.
it.
for a revolution
America 2000 calls
American
around some proposed legislation.
in
genuine
to
pledge
expectations,
Americans
raise
to
all
challenges
education
It.
And when
accountability, and above all, to create a new generation of American schools.
coating of paint on an old
we say "new generation," we're not just talking about putting a
It sets out
in American schools.
way of edicating, we're talking about really a revolution
And it urges everyone to make our
to transform a nation at risk into a nation of students.
communities places where learning will happen.
t;
4
the center of this revolution.
LOraries and information services stand at
And today, our more than 15,000 public libraries serve nearly 70 percent of
(Applause.)
of
our population, they loan 1.3 billion items each year, and they use less than one percent
Our libraries
that is quite a bargain.
(Applause.)
I think you'll agree
our tax dollars.
future.
servc as the schoolrooms for lifetime learning -- and the launching pads for our
have made an
of you involved
invaluable
conference
this
with
All
And so 1 look forward to receiving your
contribution to the progress of American life.
policy recommendations, and I am committed to working with you to improve our libraries
(Applause.)
and information networks -- and to carry American 2000 forward.
to
access
unrestricted
Robert Oppenheimer said
"the
beautifully:
it
.1
knowledge may make a vast, complex, every more specialized and expert technological
world -- nevertheless a world of human commun;ty."
So together, I think we will ensure an America of the greatest technological
And this is an exciting time to be alive,
and human success.
The potential is limitless.
I view it as a fantastically exciting time in our history to have the
and I can tell you,
honor of being President of the United States.
(Applause.)
don't
So thank you all very much for your part in shaping the future.
I
think you can be a President and live in that magnificent house down the road there
without thinking about the future. And to do that, we have to county our blessings for the
We have to count our blessings for what we call A Thousand Points of Light as
past.
well, and that is men and women -- a volunteer commitment, getting out there and nelping
And that is
others and setting standards that the rest of the world admires and respects.
where each and every one of you come in.
Thank you
Thank you, and may God bless the United States of America.
very much.
(Applause.)
2:04 P.M. EDT
End
:5:43
:
0,4C,40
(LI
MUCH FOR THAT MOST
GENEROUS
THANK YOU SO
OF ANY GOOD EDITOR
FIRST INJUNCTION
INTRODUCTION. THE
NECESSARY TO SAY
MORE WORDS THAN
IS TO USE NO
RARELY
IS NEEDED. IT'S ADVICE
NOTHING MORE THAN
GOING TO
BUT THIS NOON I'M
FOLLOWED IN WASHINGTON
TO TELL OF HER
EDITH WHARTON LIKED
IT.
TAKE A STAB AT
BUT ALSO A
JAMES, A GREAT WRITER
GOOD FRIEND HENRY
WAS OUT RIDING
ONE, WITH WHOM SHE
RATHER LONGWINDED
THE PAIR FOUND
COUNTRYSIDE ONE DAY.
IN THE ENGLISH
JAMES SPOTTED AN
A RAINSTORM, UNTIL
THEMSELVES LOST IN
CHARACTERISTICALLY
ROADSIDE. A
OLD MAN BY THE
ENSUED.
VERBOSE INQUIRY
MO WORDS, THIS LADY
PUT IT TO YOU IN
"MY FRIEND, TO
SLOU.611; THAT IS TO
ARRIVED HERE FROM
AND I HAVE JUST
HAVE RECENTLY
STRICTLY ACCURATE, WE
SAY, TO BE MORE
HAVING
SLOUGH ON OUR WAY HERE,
PASSED THROJ,IGN
WHICH WAS OUR
TO WINDSOR FROM RYE,
ACTUALLY MOTORED
HAVING
AND THE DARKNESS
POINT OF DEPARTURE;
YOU WOULD
BE MUCH OBLIGED IF
OVERTAKEN US, WE SHOULD
TO THE HIGH
NOW IN RELATION, SAY
TELL US WHERE WE ARE
LEADS TO THE
YOU OF COURSE KNOW,
STREET, WHICH, AS
DOWN
ON THE LEFT HAND THE TURN
CASTLE, AFTER LEAVING
STATION.°
.TO THE RAILWAY
L.)
1 f : 43
° 9 :
t 0
!,..:L.
MET WITH SILENCE, AND A
JAMES' TORTURED APPEAL
THE WRINKLED FACE AT THE CAR
SOMEWHAT DAZED LOOK ON
UNFAZED, PLUNGED ON. "IN
WINDOW. BUT THE AUTHOR,
I WANT TO PUT TO YOU IN A
SHORT MY GOOD MAN, WHAT
ALREADY (AS I HAVE
WORD IS THIS: SUPPOSING WE HAVE
DRIVEN PAST THE TURN DOWN TC.?
REASON TO THINK WE HAVE)
IN THAT CASE, BY THE WAY,
THE RAILWAY STATION (WHICH
BEEN ON OUR LEFT HAND, BUT
WOULD PROBABLY NOT HAVE
WE NOW IN RELATION TO..."
ON OUR RIGHT) WHERE ARE
"OH PLEASE,' SHE
EDITH WHARTON HAD HAD ENOUGH.
THE KING'S ROAD IS!"
INTERJECTED, 'DO ASK HIM WHERE
'YE'RE IN ir SAID THE OLD MAN.
ALSO FIND OURSELVES
LIKE WHARTON AND JAMES, WE
NATIONAL DEBATE OVER
IN ir . SEEKING DIRECTIONS IN A
INFORMATION,
LITERACY, PRODUCTIVITY, ACCESS TO
EDUCATION FOR CITIZENSHIP AND, YES, POLITICAL
CORRECTNESS. IT IS NOT THE KING'S ROAD WE DESIRE BUT
ALL, BEFORE YOU CAN
THE HIGHWAY OF DEMOCRACY. AFTER
LISTEN. THIS WEEK IS AN
LEAD YOU MUST FIRST LEARN 10
OPPORTUNTTY FOR WASHINGTON POUCYMAKERS TO LISTEN
AND TO LEARN FROM PROFESSIONALS IN THE FIELD, UBRARY
TRUSTEES AND CONCERNED OFFICIALS AT ALL LEVELS OF
GOVERNANCE. IN THE TRADITIONAL LIBRARY, SILENCE WAS
ONLY TRADITION BY WHICH WE
ENFORCED. NOT HERE. THE
GENIUS OF AMERICA AT HER
ARE BOUND IS THE DIVERSE
MOST REPRESENTATIVE.
JUSTICE OLIVER WENDELL
ON HIS 90TH BIRTHDAY,
JOURNALIST "THE SECRET OF MY
HOLMES TOLD AN INQUIRING
EARLY AGE I DISCOVERED I WAS NOT
SUCCESS IS THAT AT AN
READER, WAS EXPRESSING
GOD.° HOLMES, A LIFELONG
HUMILITY THAT ANY
SOMETHING OF THE PERSPECTIVE AND
WHEN STANDING BEFORE THE
SENSITIVE SOUL MUST FEEL
THE SMALLEST AMERICAN LIBRARY.
CARD CATALOGUE OF EVEN
SY NO MEANS THE
THAT IS ONE FORM OF EDUCATION, AND
LEAST USEFUL
SINCE ROOM
THERE ARE OTHERS. IN THE THIRTY YEARS
THE AGE OF INFORMATION,
SIZED COMPUTERS USHERED IN
TWELVE YEARS AFTER
OUR WORLD HAS BEEN TRANSFORMED.
ON LIBRARY AND
THE FIRST WHITE HOUSE CONFERENCE
INFORMATION SERVICES IN 1979, LIFE HAS SPEEDED UP, TO
WE LIVE
THE POINT WHERE IT OFTEN FEELS AS IF
PERMANENTLY STUCK ON FAST FQRWARD. BACK THEN
TECHNOLOGY IN
DELEGATES PONDERED THE ROLE OF
PRESERVING BOOKS. THEY EXAMINED THE PART SATELUTE
COMMUNICATIONS AND CABLE TN. MIGHT PLAY IN
DISSEMINATING INFORMATION ON A GLOBAL SCALE. AND THEY
U
1