LISNews: Librarian Blog Since 1999

Salt Lake Tribune reports: No formality was overlooked at Monday's rededication of the University of Utah's Marriott Library.

But in a break from tradition, U. President Michael Young bypassed a ribbon cutting in favor of a book exchange between dignitaries headlining the event and four school-age children. The exchange was meant to symbolize the library's enduring role, "the transfer of knowledge from one generation to another," said Young.

But for the Rytting siblings, James and Lizzie, it was a chance to get up-close and personal with former first lady Laura Bush, America's most famous librarian.

"It was so cool," said 9-year-old Lizzie. "I want to be a librarian when I grow up."

Bush delivered the keynote address Monday at the invitation of Bill Marriott, son of library namesake J. Willard Marriott Sr., and a contributor to the Laura Bush Foundation for America's Libraries.

As we now know, the outgoing first lady is writing a book, and Scribner is publishing it. It is supposed to offer "an intimate account of Laura Bush's life experiences, including eight years in the White House."

Her husband remains a captive of his own spin, which explains the lack of publisher interest in a memoir by an ex-president. Perhaps Mrs. Bush is more inclined toward introspection and honest disclosure, although according to the Boston Globe, evidence at the moment is slight.

During a recent interview with his wife, President Bush told CNN's Larry King that he likes President-elect Barack Obama.

"But he was so critical of you. Do you take that personally or don't you?" King queried.

"I did," Laura Bush quickly answered.

The last story of 2008 on First Lady Laura Bush.

From The New Yorker: "According to Mrs. Bush’s spokeswoman, Sally McDonough, “She’s going to write a book about the people she met and her life in the White House. It’s not going to be an ‘I grew up in Midland’ type of book.”

The reception to Mrs. Bush’s pitch has been mixed so far. “She was not forthcoming about anything that I would consider controversial,” the [unnamed] publisher who met with her said. “We questioned her rigorously, but it was one-word answers. I considered it the worst, or the most frustrating, meeting of its sort that I’ve ever had.” He added, “But she really couldn’t have been nicer.”

“I chose not to meet with her,” a publisher at another [unnamed] company said. “I got the impression that everyone was totally underwhelmed by her. That’s why there’s so little buzz.”

Not a celebrity visit to a library, but celebrity support of a library. Does that count Blake?

In the tiny town of Ellisville IL, population 86, is one great big treasure: 3,500 books packed into 336 square feet, probably the smallest public library in the state. The tiny library, however, has actually grown over the last five years.

Town native Helen Meyers officially opened the new Ellisville Library, which is double the size of the old one, in 2003. Word of Helen’s work spread, and First Lady Laura Bush sent seven books and a letter, which is framed on the library’s back wall.

‘‘I purposely did not put her name in the books, because I figured somebody would check them out and keep them,’’ Helen says.

Television celebrity Monty Hall sent her a check for $100, and the widow of author Louis L’Amour sent $300. Canton Daily Ledger.

Five years after the new library’s opening, Helen, now 82, still opens up the library from 9 to 11 a.m. every Saturday and hopes that people will come discover a great book.