ACRL News Issue (B) of College & Research Libraries C&RL N e w s ■ N o v e m b e r 1999 / 829 Get closer to the sky at ACRL’s 10th National Conference by Ellen M etter Ed. Note: ACRL w ill h o ld its 1 0 th N a tio n a l C o n fe r­ e n c e , “ACRL X: C ro s s in g t h e D i v i d e , ” in D e n v e r , C o lo r a d o , M a rc h 1 5 -1 8 , 2001. A re y o u r u n n i n g f o r M a y o r o f D e n v er? ” T h a t’s w h a t p e o p le a s k as I b l a t h e r o n a b o u t y e t a n o th e r m a rv e lo u s a s­ p e c t o f this n o t-so -sm a ll-a n y m o re to w n . W h at c a n I say? T h e r e ’s p le n ty to p ra is e . F rie n d ly p e o p le , v a rie d c ity life, a n d m o re m o u n ta in s o v e r 14,000 fe e t ( w e call th e m 14’e rs ) th a n S w itz erlan d . I f y o u ’r e a “f l a t - l a n d e r , ” i .e ., n o t c u r ­ re n tly living o n a w in d y m o u n t a i n t o p , y o u ’ll w a n t to a c c lim a te to th e a ltitu d e o f t h e M ile H ig h City. (Yes, t h e n ic k n a m e is a c c u r a t e — s t a n d o n t h e 1 5 th s t e p o n t h e w e s t s i d e o f t h e 24K g o ld -d o m e d S ta t e C a p i­ Scenes o f the breath t o l B u i l d i n g a n d y o u ’ll b e e x a c tly a m ile h ig h — 5,280 fe et). So d rin k p le n ty o f w a te r, a v o id sa lty f o o d s a n d a lc o h o l b e fo re y o u a rrive, a n d d o n ’t p la n o n sta g in g a n o p e r a p e r fo r m a n c e o n y o u r d a y o f arrival. B u t h e r e ’s w h a t h a p p e n s w h e n y o u ’r e a m ile h ig h : y o u ’r e c l o s e r t o t h e sky! tak T h e C o lo ra d o a tm o s p h e r e is a c lear, e n d ­ less b lu e , a n d c lo u d y d a y s b rin g fo rth v a ria ­ tio n s in c lo u d s h a p e s th a t ra n g e fro m m ilky Z e p p e lin s to tra n s lu c e n t w a terfa lls. A n d n o o n e w ill e lb o w y o u a n d s a y th a t y o u lo o k lik e a to u ris t if y o u fe el like g a z in g h e a v e n ­ w a r d fo r a w h ile — C o lo ra d a n s d o it all th e tim e . L o D o — L o w e r d o w n to w n D e n v e r T h e ACRL c o n v e n tio n w ill b e h e ld rig h t o ff L o D o , th e L o w e r D o w n t o w n D e n v e r d is ­ trict, fla n k e d b y th e U n iv e rsity o f C o lo ra d o a t D e n v e r a t o n e e n d a n d C o o rs F ie ld , h o m e o f b a s e b a l l ’s C o l o r a d o R ockies, a t th e o th er. F o r m e r l y a d o w n - a n d -o u t district, th is a rea o f r e s to r e d tu rn -o f-th e - c e n tu ry a rc h ite c tu re h a s b e e n r e v i t a l i z e d a n d f e a tu re s s h o p p in g , re s ­ ta u ra n ts , g a lle rie s, live ing Denver skyline. m u s i c , a n d e n t e r t a i n ­ m e n t . V is it L a r i m e r S q u a r e in L oD o fo r g r e a t c o ffe e a n d tre a ts a t T h e M a r k e t; sty lish h o m e fu rn is h in g s a t Z G a lle r ie ; o b je c ts fla u n tin g W este rn k itsch a n d c la ss a t th e C r y B a b y R a n c h ; o r a n e v e n in g o f fu n at C o m e d y W o r k s [(303) 595-3637]. L arim er S q u a re m o v e s s e a m le s sly in to th e s h o p s a n d e a te rie s o f W r i t e r ’s S q u a r e a n d A bout th e author Ellen M e tte r is professional studies b ib lio g ra p h e r a n d reference lib ra ria n a t th e University o f Colorado a t Denver, e-m ail: emetter@carbon.cudenver.edu The Mile High City CONFERENCE CIRCUIT mailto:emetter@carbon.cudenver.edu 830 / C&RL N ew s ■ N o v e m b e r 1999 th e 1 6 th S t r e e t M a ll, w h e re y o u c a n stroll o r ta k e a free b u s sh u ttle a lo n g this 12-block stre tc h o f sights a n d activities. N e w to th e m all is th e D e n v e r P a v i l l i o n s , w h ic h feature a 15-screen m ovie com plex, su c h re stau ra n ts as th e H a r d R o c k C a fé a n d C a fé O d y s s e y , a n d retail sto re s in clu d in g V i r g i n R e c o r d s , N ik e T o w n , a n d local favorite S t e p h a n y ’s C h o c o l a t e s (m y m other threatened to disow n m e if I d o n ’t s e n d h e r a lm o n d toffee from Stephany’s every birthday.) A n o th e r D e n v e r h o t s p o t is th e C h e r r y C r e e k S h o p p i n g D i s t r ic t , a 10-m inute drive from LoDo. T his a re a fe atu res th e u p sc a le C h e r r y C r e e k M a ll, h o m e to su c h n a tio n ­ ally k n o w n h ig h e r-e n d sto re s as S ak’s Fifth A venue a n d Neim an-M arcus. N orth o f th e mall is C h e r r y C r e e k N o r t h , a lo vely c o lle ctio n o f b o u tiq u e s , a rt g a lle rie s, a n d n u m e ro u s d rin k in g a n d d in in g choices. If y o u ’d like to d o so m e a n tiq u e h u n tin g o n y o u r visit, c a tc h a b u s to S outh B ro a d w ay to th e area k n o w n as A n t iq u e A l l e y (b e tw e e n M ississippi a n d Io w a ), w h e re y o u ’ll find, lit­ erally, h u n d re d s o f a n tiq u e d e alers w ith w ares ra n g in g from to p -quality, to p -d o lla r trea su re s to b a rg a in -p ric e d finds. Brew and fo od In D e n v e r y o u ’ll en jo y W este rn c u isin e a n d b re w s. C o lo rad o is re n o w n e d fo r its v a rie d b e e r offerings, w ith m o re th a n 80 b r e w p u b s a n d 18 m ic r o ­ b r e w e r i e s — a n d m o r e t h a n a d o z e n o f th e m a re in th e L odo area. O n a v isit to T e n n e s s e e , I s to p p e d in a b re w p u b w h e re the proprietor h eard I w as from D en­ ver. “I’m jealous,” h e said. “You m ust h ave b e e n to th e W ynkoop B r e w e r y . ” Y o u b e t . T h e W y n k o o p B r e w i n g C o m p a n y (1634 18th Street, o ff W y nkoop S t r e e t ) is C o l o r a d o ’s o l d e s t b re w p u b a n d features su c h origi­ The home o f the Unsinkable Molly Brown. cnal m ixtures as SageB rush Stout, Railyard Ale a n d Patti’s Chili Beer, w h ic h h as a bit o f A naheim p e p p e r to sse d in. O th e r n o ­ table D e n v e r b re w p u b s in clude C h a m p i o n B r e w i n g C o m p a n y (1442 Larim er Square), th e D e n v e r C h o p h o u s e a n d B r e w e r y (1735 19th Street), a n d th e R o c k B o t t o m B r e w e r y (1001 16th Street). Meet your shopping needs at the 16th Street Mall. T e e to ta le r s s h o u l d try t h e e le g a n t Af­ t e r n o o n T ea at th e B r o w n P a l a c e [321 17th S tre et, M o n d a y s th r o u g h F rid a y s, 12-4, re s ­ e rv a tio n s re c o m m e n d e d a t (8 0 0 ) 321-25991. A n d if t e a is, w e ll, y o u r c u p o f te a , e n jo y a t o u r a n d t e a ta s tin g at C e l e s t i a l S e a s o n ­ i n g s in B o u ld e r [(303) 581-12021. U n iq u e C o lo rad o fare c a n fo u n d in d o w n ­ to w n D e n v e r a t th e e x c e lle n t 1 5 1 5 e a te ry (1515 M a rk et S treet), w h ic h o ffe rs g rille d ra ttle s n a k e o v e r p e n n e p a sta ; th e C a d illa c R a n c h (1 4 0 0 L a r im e r S q u a r e ) , s e r v i n g s m o k e d b u ffalo s a u sa g e q u e s a d illa s as an a p p e tiz e r; a n d th e D e n v e r B u f f a l o C o m ­ p a n y (1109 L incoln A v e n u e), w ith d ish e s fe a tu rin g d u c k , q u a il, a n d , o f c o u rse , b u f­ falo. V eg eta ria n s a re a lso w e ll-te n d e d to, w ith m e a tle ss a n d just p la in o ld h e a lth y o p tio n s a v a ila b le at m o s t D e n v e r-a re a r e s t a u r a n t s . ( D e n v e r is t h e “th in n e s t” city in Am erica!) T h e city a lso h a s th e e x ce l­ len t variety o f e th n ic restau ran ts y o u ’d e x p e c t in a m etro p o lita n area, in clu d in g D e l h i D a r b a r (1514 B lake Street), w ith a low - p r i c e d , a l l - y o u - c a n - e a t l u n ­ c h eo n ; T o m m y T s u n a m i ’s P a ­ c i f i c D i n e r ( 1 4 3 2 M a r k e t Street), featuring Pacific rim s p e ­ cia lties a n d a slick style; th e L i t t l e R u s s i a n C a f é (1 4 2 4 Larim er Street), a h e a rty d in n e r h o ic e (c lo s e d fo r lu n ch ); a n d P la y a A z u l (1500 Curtis Street), n o t fancy b u t w ith g o o d -tastin g , re a so n a b ly p ric e d M exican fare. C h oices in re sta u ra n ts a b o u n d a n d fe w d isa p p o in t. O t h e r D e n v e r a t t r a c t i o n s i n c l u d e C o l o r a d o ’s O c e a n J o u r n e y , featuring 15,000 w ater a n d land creatures, including native Colo­ C&RL N e w s ■ N o v e m b e r 1999 / 831 Plan a visit to th e U.S. M int, one o f only fou r in the United States. ra d o fish, sea o tters, z e b ra sharks, a n d Sum atran tigers. A n o th e r e n jo y a b le d e s tin a tio n is th e U .S . M i n t , o n e o f o n ly f o u r m in ts in th e U n ite d S tates. T h e M int, w h i c h m a k e s c o in s o f all d e n o m in a tio n s , h a s fre e w e e k d a y to u rs o f th e facility [320 W. C o lfax A v e n u e , (303) 4 0 5 -4 7 9 1 ]. C u ltu ra l s ite s T h o u g h th e h isto ry o f t h e Q u e e n City o f th e P la in s is n ’t a n c ie n t— it’s in te re s tin g . T h a t fa ­ m o u s h e r o in e o f t h e T ita n ic m a d e h e r h o m e in D e n v e r a n d a to u r o f th e M o l l y B r o w n H o u s e M u s e u m [1340 P e n n s y lv a n ia Street, (3 0 3 ) 8 3 2 -4 0 9 2 ] o f f e r s a v i e w o f u p p e r m id d le -c la s s liv in g in th e e a rly 20th c e n tu ry a n d s to rie s o f th e u n s in k a b le w o m a n h e r ­ self. T h e C o l o r a d o H i s t o r y M u s e u m (1300 B ro a d w a y ) h a s p e r m a n e n t e x h ib its th a t in ­ c lu d e a lo o k a t t h e C h e y e n n e D o g S o ld iers ( a n e lite C h e y e n n e w a rrio r so c iety ), e a rly rail­ w a y s, m in in g , a n d o n e o f th e la rg e s t c o lle c ­ tio n s o f M e sa -V e rd e a rtifac ts in t h e w o rld . T h e R o c k y M o u n ta in r e g io n a ls o h a s its s h a r e o f a rt a n d c u ltu ra l a ctivities. T h e D e n ­ v e r C e n t e r f o r t h e P e r f o r m i n g A r t s (th e PLEX), s e c o n d in siz e o n ly to N e w Y o rk ’s L in c o ln C e n te r, is a c o m p le x o f e ig h t th e a te rs in a 4 -s q u a re -b lo c k a re a , t o p p e d b y a n 80- fo o t-h ig h g lass a rc h w a y . T h e PLEX p r e s e n ts p la y s, c o n c e rts , d a n c e , c o m e d y , a n d c a b a r e t [S p e e r & A ra p a h o e , (3 0 3 ) 893-410]. G ro u p s th a t re g u la rly a p p e a r a t th e PLEX in c lu d e th e C o l o r a d o B a l l e t [(303) 837-8888], O p e r a C o l o r a d o , a n d th e C o l o r a d o S y m p h o n y O r ­ c h e s t r a [for b o t h t h e o p e r a a n d th e sy m ­ p h o n y (3 0 3 ) 986-8742], T h e D e n v e r A r t M u s e u m [100 W est 14th A v e n u e P a rk w a y , (3 0 3 ) 640-4433], a fo rtre s s ­ like, to w e r in g s tru c tu re , fe a tu r e s m a n y sty les a n d t y p e s o f art, in c lu d in g W e s te rn m a s te r­ p i e c e s b y R e m in g to n a n d R u ss e ll, N a tiv e A m e ric a n art, a n d sp e c ia l e x h ib itio n s , s u c h a s th is p a s t s u m m e r ’s T o u lo u s e L autrec s h o w . S h a rin g t h e p la z a w ith t h e D e n v e r A r t M u s e u m is th e 540,000 s q u a re -fo o t D e n v e r P u b l i c L i b r a r y , d e s i g n e d b y w o rld -fa m o u s a rc h ite c t M ic h ae l G ra v e s . A lso b e s u r e to s e e T h e Yearling, s c u lp te d b y D o n a ld Lipski, th e a e s th e tic a lly c o n tro v e rs ia l s c u lp tu r e t o th e n o r th o f th e library; it’s a b ro w n - a n d - w h ite h o r s e lo o k in g r a th e r sm a ll a s trid e a v e ry b ig r e d chair. C i v i c C e n t e r P a r k is a ls o to th e lib ra ry ’s n o rth , h o m e to m a n y o f D e n v e r ’s festivals. The Denver Public Library was designed by Michael Graves. N o n e e d to g o h u n g r y a fte r a d m irin g art o r b o o k b ro w s in g . T h e A rt M u s e u m ’s r e s ta u ­ ra n t, P a l e t t e ’s , is e x c e p tio n a l, a n d a sin g le m a lt w h is k e y a n d s o m e fish a n d c h ip s c a n b e h a d n e a r b y a t P i n t ’s P u b [221 W est 13th A v e n u e , (3 0 3 ) 534-7543], a h a v e n fo r A n g lo ­ p h ile s . R ather fortu ito u sly , th e ACRL c o n v e n tio n is s c h e d u le d fo r th e v e ry w e e k e n d in 2001 th a t Participate in ACRL X B e a p a r t o f t h e le a rn in g c o m m u n ity a t ACRL’s 10th N a tio n a l C o n fe re n c e , ACRL X: C ro ss in g th e D iv id e ,” in D e n v er, M arch 1 5 -1 8 , 1001. S u b m it a p ro g ra m p r o p o s a l fo llo w in g th e g u id e lin e s lis te d in th e “Call fo r P a r­ tic ip a tio n ,” in c lu d e d as a n in se rt in this issu e a n d o n th e W eb a t w w w .a la .o rg /a c rl/ d e n v e r.h tm l. P ro g ra m p r o p o s a ls fo r p a p e r s , p a n e ls, w o r k s h o p s , a n d p r e c o n f e r e n c e s a re d u e M ay 1, 2000. http://www.ala.org/acrl/ 832 / C&RL N ew s ■ N o v em b er 1999 th e D e n v e r M a r c h P o w W o w is b e in g h eld at th e D e n v e r C oliseum [March 16-18, (303) 934-80451. T h is e v e n t d ra w s p e o p le fro m a ro u n d th e w o rld to e n joy Native A m erican so n g , d a n c e , d ru m m in g , arts, jew elry, a n d crafts. A pa st p o w -w o w a tte n d e e re co m m e n d s th at y ou p la n to b ring e n o u g h m o n e y to b u y u n iq u e item s at th e p o w -w o w since y o u w o n ’t b e a b le to resist them . N o se lf-re sp e c tin g b ib lio p h ile w o u ld visit D e n v e r a n d m iss a trip to th e T a t t e r e d C o v e r B o o k s t o r e [(303) 322- 77271. T h e o rig in a l lo ­ c a tio n in t h e C h e rry C re e k S h o p p in g D is­ trict (at 1st a n d M ilw au­ k e e ) h e l p e d s e t th e s t a n d a r d n a ti o n w i d e fo r la rg e b o o k s t o r e s fe a tu rin g c o m fo rta b le re a d in g n o o k s , g o o d c u s to m e r se rv ice , a n d a s t e a d y s t r e a m o f b o o k s i g n i n g s . T h e A look at the majestic Maroon Bells mountains in Aspen.C herry C re ek T a tte re d C over h a s a lso c re a te d th e F o u r t h S t o r y R e s ­ t a u r a n t [(303) 322-1824], se rv in g lu n c h , d in ­ ner, a n d S u n d a y b ru n c h , in a d in in g ro o m w ith a view . A s e c o n d T atte re d C o v e r [(303) 436-1070], n e a rly as im p re ss iv e as th e first, is in LoDo, ju st o ff th e 16th S treet Mall o n W y n k o o p Street. W hile y o u ’re o n W y n k o o p Street, also sto p by th e b e autiful, historic U n i o n S t a t i o n train station, fe a tu rin g a m o d e l ra ilro ad la y o u t in its b a s e m e n t [call (303) 572-1015 fo r v iew in g times] a n d th e R e d f i s h L o o z ia n a R o a d h o u s e a n d S e a f o o d K i t c h e n . T h e sta tio n is still a c ­ tive, sh u ttlin g A m trak p a s s e n g e rs a n d th o se rid in g th e sc e n ic S k i T r a in [(303) 296-4754] to W i n t e r P a r k , fo r w in te r sp o rts, s h o p p in g , a n d strolling. S p o rts S p e c ta to r sp o rts a b o u n d in D e n v er, a n d in M arch y o u c an tak e in D e n v e r N u g g e t ’s b a s­ ketball [(303) 893-6700], t h e C o l o r a d o X p l o - s i o n , professional w o ­ m e n ’s b a sketball [(303) 832-2225], h o c k e y w ith t h e C o l o r a d o A v a ­ l a n c h e [ ( 3 0 3 ) 4 0 5 - 1100], a n d so c c er w ith th e C o l o r a d o R a p id s [(800) 844-77771. T h o u g h th e R o c k ­ i e s a r e n ’t p la y in g in M arch, y o u c a n ta k e a 7 5 -m in u te to u r o f th e im p re ssiv e C o o r s F ie ld [(303) 312-2108], d e ­ sig n e d to lo o k like a n o ld -fa s h io n e d ballpark. T h e S u p e r B o w l-w in n in g B r o n c o s , w o n ’t b e p lay in g in M arch, a n d th e ir 76,000 se a t sta­ d iu m w o n ’t b e q u ite c o m p le te b y c o n fe re n c e tim e, b u t p ic k u p a t-shirt w h ile y o u ’re here! O utside o f D e n ver T h e re ’s p le n ty to d o b e y o n d th e b o rd e rs o f th e city. N o rth w e s t o f D e n v e r, y o u ’ll find Learn more about Denver on the Web C olorado A rts News. h ttp ://e le c tra c ity . c o m /c a n /in d e x .h tm l. P ro v id e s e x te n siv e in fo rm a tio n a b o u t C o lo ra d o c u ltu ral activi­ ties, in clu d in g galleries, theater, a n d sym ­ p h o n ie s . Also se e h ttp ://w w w . a rtsto z o o . org. C olorado Ski C o u n try USA. h ttp ://w w w . sk ic o lo ra d o .o rg . F ind o u t a b o u t C o lo rad o ski resorts, in c lu d in g sn o w c o n d itio n s a n d m o n e y -sa v in g deals. C olorado S ta te P a rk s a n d O u td o o r R ec­ re a tio n . http://w w w .coloradoparks.oig. S u p ­ p lie s activity, lo ca tio n , fee, a n d a m e n ity in ­ fo rm a tio n fo r C o lo ra d o ’s sta te p a rk s a n d o th e r o u t d o o r g e ta w a y s. D e n v e r M etro C o n v e n tio n & Visitors B u ­ reau. h ttp ://w w w .d e n v e r.o rg . Find facts a n d tip s fo r y o u r trip. Call th e m fo r a great D e n v e r to u rism g u id e , free, at (303) 892- 1112. D e n v e r S id e w a lk . h t tp : / /w w w .d e n v e r . s id e w a lk .c o m . R eview s e aterie s, lists c u r­ re n t e v en ts, a n d d e sc rib e s D e n v e r a ttrac ­ tions. O ffic ia l Web Site o f C olorado Tourism . h t tp : / / w w w . c o l o r a d o .c o m / . I n fo rm a tio n from th e C o lo ra d o T ravel a n d T ourism Au­ th o rity , in c lu d in g a m o n th ly c a le n d a r o r e v en ts. F o r a free C o lo ra d o v a ca tio n g u id e, call th e m at (800) COLORADO. http://electracity skicolorado.org http://www.coloradoparks.oig http://www.denver.org http://www.denver sidewalk.com http://www.colorado.com/ C&RL N e w s ■ N o v e m b e r 1 9 9 9 / 833 th e u n i q u e c o m ­ m u n ity o f B o u l ­ d e r , w h e r e th e N e w A ge is o ld n e w s , t h e s t u n ­ n i n g F l a t i r o n s t e m p t r o c k c l i m b e r s , a n d e v e r y o n e s e e m s im p o s s ib ly h e a l ­ t h y . T h e m a g ­ n i f i c e n t R o c k y M o u n t a i n N a ­ Your choice o f the opera t i o n a l P a r k or gam bling is available at [(970) 586-1206] Central City. is n o r t h w e s t o f D e n v e r, a b o u t 70 m ile s a w a y . A nd, o f c o u rse , ski a re a s a b o u n d , in c lu d in g L o v e l a n d [(800) 736-3754], le s s t h a n a n h o u r fro m D e n v e r; K e y s t o n e , a b o u t a n h o u r - a n d - a - h a l f trip ; A s p e n / S n o w m a s s [(8 0 0 ) 9 2 3 -8 9 2 0 ]; a n d V a i l [(8 0 0 ) 5 2 5 -3 8 7 5 ], all f a r t h e r a w a y b u t g r e a t t o v is it w h e t h e r y o u s k i t h e s l o p e s o r j u s t a d m i r e t h e s c e n e r y . M o u n ta in visitors a lso e n jo y sn o w s h o e in g , sn o w m o b ilin g , o r just strolling th ro u g h su c h h isto ric to w n s as G e o r g e t o w n , a p ic tu re s q u e v illage o f V ic to rian -e ra stru c tu re s [(800) 472- 8230]; G o l d e n , h o m e to th e C o l o r a d o R a il­ r o a d M u s e u m [(800) 365-6263]; th e C o l o r a d o S c h o o l o f M i n e s G e o l o g y M u s e u m [(303) 273-38151; a n d th e C o o r s B r e w i n g C o m p a n y , w h ic h c o n d u c ts free to u rs o f its p la n t c o n c lu d ­ ing w ith fre e sa m -p le s o f its b r e w [(303) 277- 23371. B rin g e x tra c o in s fo r th e o n e - a r m e d b a n ­ d its in C o l o r a d o ’s g a m b l i n g d e s t in a t io n s : B l a c k H a w k a n d C e n t r a l C it y , tu c k e d in to t h e fo o th ills w e s t o f D e n v e r, a n d , h e a d in g s o u th in th e sta te , C r i p p l e C r e e k . C entral City is a ls o k n o w n fo r th e C e n t r a l C it y O p ­ e r a H o u s e , w h ic h h a s p e r fo r m a n c e s o n ly in th e su m m e r, b u t w e lc o m e s v isito rs to v ie w its V ic to ria n in te r io r y e a r - r o u n d ; a s k fo r a t o u r a t t h e T e lle r H o u s e c a s in o [(303) 279- 3200], S o u th o f D e n v e r a re th e s tu n n in g re d ro c k f o r m a tio n s o f th e G a r d e n o f t h e G o d s in C o lo ra d o S p rin g — a n e n th r a llin g s ig h t [(719) 634-6666], T h e g a r d e n c a n b e e n jo y e d in a n y w e a th e r , s in c e t h e r e a r e p a v e d r o a d s fo r a u ­ to s t h a t w i n d t h r o u g h th e r e d ro c k s. L ike m o s t p l a c e s in t h e U n ite d S ta te s, C o lo ra d o h a s u n p r e d ic ta b le w e a t h e r p a tte rn s in M arch, t h e m o n th o f t h e ACRL c o n f e r ­ e n c e . M u ltip ly th a t u n p r e d ic ta b ility fa c to r b y a b o u t t e n in C o lo ra d o ! It’s a s u n n y sta te — e v e n in t h e w i n t e r — a n d h a s m o r e s u n n y d a y s y e a r - r o u n d t h a n M iam i, F lo rid a , o r S an D ie g o , C a lifo rn ia. T o illu s tra te t h e v a ria b ility o f D e n v e r w e a th e r , h e r e a r e t w o h is to ric w e a t h e r r e ­ p o r t s fro m M a rc h 19: in 1997 t h e r e w a s a h ig h o f 71 d e g r e e s w h ile in 1998 D e n v e r t e m p e r a t u r e s t o p p e d o u t a t 30 d e g r e e s a c ­ c o m p a n i e d b y 5 in c h e s o f s n o w . T h e “n o r ­ m a l” d a y tim e t e m p e r a t u r e s in M a rc h a re in t h e 50 s (w h ic h , w ith lo w h u m id ity , fe e ls d e ­ lig h tfu l) b u t c a n d r o p 20 d e g r e e s o r m o r e at n ig h t. W e a r la y e rs a n d c h e c k t h e fo re c a s t b e f o r e y o u a rriv e . L et’s s e e — d i d I m e n t i o n lin e d a n c in g , th e M u s e u m o f N a t u r a l H i s t o r y , t h e B l a c k A m e r i c a n W e s t M u s e u m a n d H e r i t a g e C e n t e r , t h e D e n v e r B o t a n i c G a r d e n s , a n d th e D e n v e r Z o o ? W ell, I ’v e b a r e ly b e g u n to b r a g b u t e v e n t h e s e l f - a p p o i n te d m a y o r o f D e n v e r m u s t s t o p a t s o m e p o i n t a n d le t y o u ro a m o n y o u r o w n . ■ L e t te r to th e e d ito r It w a s s o re fre s h in g to r e a d J e n n if e r W. K im b all’s “R e m e m b e r w h e n y o u w e r e in fo rm a tio n illiterate?” in th e J u ly /A u g u s t 1999 is s u e o f C&RL N ew s. All t o o o fte n w e o v e re s tim a te th e level o f a w a re n e s s th a t s tu d e n ts a n d faculty h a v e a b o u t d o in g r e s e a rc h , e sp e c ia lly w ith th e te c h n o lo g ic a l e n h a n c e m e n ts th a t h a v e im ­ p a c t e d o u r d e liv e ry o f in fo r m a tio n r e ­ s o u rc e s . A t o u r c o m m u n ity c o lle g e , th e p e r c e n t­ a g e o f s tu d e n ts w h o d o n o t u s e a c o m ­ p u t e r re g u la rly a n d a re n o t c o n n e c te d to t h e In te r n e t is h ig h e r th a n t h o s e w h o d o . Staff a n d fa cu lty w h o m a y u s e a c o m p u te r d a ily to p r o c e s s s t u d e n t e n ro llm e n ts o r p r e p a r e p u r c h a s e re q u is itio n s m a y n o t b e at all fa m ilia r o r c o m fo rta b le w ith “su rfin g o n th e W e b .” K im b a ll’s article w a s e s p e c ia lly u se fu l to m e a s I d e v e l o p e d t h e c o u r s e I a m te a c h in g th is fall fo r fa c u lty a n d staff: I n ­ fo rm a tio n Literacy in a n In fo rm a tio n -O v e r­ lo a d e d W orld.— C h a rle t Key, B la c k H a w k College, e -m a il: k e y c @ B h c l.b h c .e d u mailto:keyc@Bhcl.bhc.edu 834 / C&RL News ■ N ovem ber 1999 E v ery day in o v e r 34 ,0 00 lib raries around th e w o r ld , librarians h e lp th e ir users lo c a te th e in fo rm a tio n t h e y ’re s e e k in g … w ith th e h e lp o f O C LC . Just ask R im a O ’ C on n or. She r e c e n tly to ld us, “ O C L C e x p a n d s o u r lib ra ry b e y o n d its w alls, so w e can p r o v id e b e tte r s e rv ic e to o u r fa cu lty and students.” A m o n g th ose w h o a p p re c ia te this s e rv ic e is P ro fe s s o r M arc O lshan, w h o has o v e r th re e d o z e n p u b lic atio n s and research p ro je c ts to his cred it. P ro fe s s o r Olshan d e p e n d s u p o n fast and easy access to in fo rm a tio n , so h e re lie d u p o n th e in terlib ra ry lo a n s e rv ic e s p r o v id e d b y H e rric k M e m o ria l L ib rary to ob ta in m aterials fo r his article, “ Lessons fr o m Cuba.” T h e H um anist 58:3, (May/June 1998): 14 -17 . A t O C L C w e c o n tin u e to d e v e lo p n e w w a y s to p r o v id e o u r m e m b e rs h ip w ith in n o v a tiv e and a ffo rd a b le lib ra ry services. F o r e x a m p le , w e are w o r k in g w ith 200 O C L C m e m b e r libraries o n an in tern a tio n al research in itiative that is using au tom ated c a ta lo g in g to o ls and lib ra ry c o o p e ra tio n to cre a te a database o f W e b resources. F or in fo rm a tio n a b o u t w h a t y o u can d o n o w w ith O C L C services, please co n tact us at: w w w . o c l c . o r g 1 - 8 0 0 -8 4 8 - 5 8 7 8 Look what y o u ’re do in g no w … with OCLC. http://www.oclc.org