The Dewey Decimal set’s hearts will flutter as they contemplate this once-in-a-lifetime gathering of top librarians from around the area. This summit occurred Tuesday in the special collections room of the Pomona Public Library — the Inland Valley’s answer to Yalta — to brainstorm ideas for the beleaguered library’s future.
Referring to my column mention of the event, in which I speculated that they were probably sipping tea from china cups and nibbling on Lorna Doone shortbread, Pomona Library Director Bruce Guter says refreshments were “bottled water and Costco muffins.” Well, it’s a new era.
Pictured are, from left, Pomona Library Director Bruce Guter; Rancho Cucamonga Assistant Library Director Michelle Perera; Whittier Public Library Director Paymaneh Maghsoudi; City of Pomona Human Resources Director Sue Paul; Southern California Library Consortium Executive Director Rosario Garza; L.A. County Actiing Chief Deputy Librarian Yolanda De Ramus; Los Angeles County Librarian Margaret Todd; Rancho Cucamonga Library Director Robert Karatsu; and — the big gun — California State Librarian Stacey Aldrich.
The picture was taken by Pomona Library Services Manager Muriel Spill. You’ll want to print a copy and frame it — after tracking down all the librarians for their signatures. Good luck!
Adds Guter: “Everyone’s smiling because we were thinking about all the good things that could be done for the Pomona Public Library. Or maybe about Lorna Doones….”