| Between
1983 and 2001, WALDEN provided a venue for women academic library directors
to share their common experiences and to give each other support both professional
and personal in their then-novel directorial endeavors. By 2001, however,
the need for WALDEN was apparently no longer as urgent as it had originally
been, with women in academic library director positions as well as corresponding
support opportunities becoming increasingly more usual.
Thus, on July 10, 2001, I posed the following question to the 152 directors then on the WALDEN emailing list: "Has WALDEN's time come and gone? Is it that we're all too busy with too many things? Are there enough other venues? More prosaically, is it that we (ALA) keep going to the same cities which leaves pretty much the same people to do the dinners, and those few are getting fed up (so to speak)?" The responding emails, if with some regrets, said "all of the above." Thus, WALDEN in effect ceased to exist after our dinner in Washington, DC, at ALA Midwinter 2001. I am leaving the following pages on the Web, as a history of the organization and its impact. I have, however, removed the address list (example below). I do have a print archive though. (Hey, I'm a librarian!) May
22, 2002
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The dinners:| The following is a listing of the semi-annual WALDEN dinners at ALA, where those who wished to, got together to network, socialize, eat, drink, and be merry. Dinners were organized by volunteers from WALDEN, usually from ALA's host city. Typical group at dinners: about thirty women. Wine was included in the price only when so stated. |
What ended up being the last WALDEN dinner: Midwinter 2001: Washington, DC, Saturday January 15, 2001. Cash bar at 7 p.m., dinner 7:30 p.m. Hosted by Karin Borei at BeDuCi restaurant, just off DuPont Circle. Menu: one of four appetizers, one of five entrees including fish, duck, and vegetarian, one of four desserts, coffee/tea. Cost: $35.00. 20 attendees (arrangements were last-minute).
Annual 2000 (Chicago): no dinner
Midwinter 2000: San Antonio, TX, Saturday, January 15, 2000. Cash bar at 7:30, dinner at 8:00. Hosted by Carolyn Kacena at La Scala restaurant outside San Antonio. Price of the dinner included House Salad, side of pasta, choice of one of four entrees, dessert, and a non-alcoholic beverage. Cost: $30.00. 30 attendees.
Annual 1999: New Orleans, LA, Sunday, June 27, 1999. Cash bar at 7:30, with dinner at 8:00. Hosted by Jill Fatzer at Straya Grand Cafe, 2001 St. Charles Avenue, right on the historic streetcar line. Price of the “California Creole Cuisine" dinner included House Salad or Soup du Jour, choice of one of five entrees & one of two desserts, and a non-alcoholic beverage.Cost:$37.00.
Midwinter 1999, Philadelphia, PA, Sunday, January 31, 1999. Cash bar at 6:00 pm, dinner at 7:00 pm. Hosted by Mignon Adams at the Rangoon, at 112 North 9th Street (about 2 blocks east of the Convention Center), a Burmese banquet with 11 courses, coffee and tea. Cost: $30. 32 attendees.
Annual 1998, Washington DC, Sunday, June 28, 1998, at 7:00 p.m. Hosted by Lynn Scott Cochrane at Straits of Malaya restaurant which is owned by a librarian. Price of dinner included appetizers, entrees (approximately 8 different ones), dessert, wine, non-alcoholic drinks, tax, and tips. 35 people attended. Cost: $50.00 ($44.00 requested)
In addition, Barbara Ford, WALDEN-ite and ALA President, invited WALDEN to two events in her presidential suite, an Ice Cream Social/Reception on Friday evening and the President's Program Reception late Sunday afternoon.Midwinter 1998, New Orleans, LA., Saturday, January 10. Hosted by Jill B. Fatzer at Ralph & Kacoo's in the heart of the French Quarter. Cash bar at 6:45, dinner at 7:30. Four entrees representing typical Louisiana fare. Cost: $27.75.
Annual 1997, San Francisco, Sunday, June 29: Liz Saltzer, Debbie Masters, and Stephanie Bangert hosted at Il Fornaio Restaurant. 6:30 p.m. drinks in Al Fresco Bar, 7:30 p.m. dinner. Choice among five entrees. Cost: $46.
Midwinter 1997, Washington, D.C., Sunday, February 17: Sharon Rogers, Charlene Hurt and Pat Wand hosted at the Tabard Inn, a historic European-style hotel and restaurant near Dupont Circle. 6 p.m. drinks, 7 p.m. dinner. Cost: $44.
Annual 1996, New York, Saturday, July 6 : Kristin McDonough hosted at her award-winningly renovated Baruch College Library. 6:30 drinks, 7:30 dinner. 30 people attended. Cost: $35 (included complimentary red and white wines).
Midwinter 1996 (San Antonio): no dinner.
Annual 1995, Chicago, Saturday June 24: Santorino. Almost 40 came to this dinner. [could someone supply more details for this one please?].
Midwinter 1995, Philadelphia, Saturday February 4: Mignon Adams hosted at Susanna Foo's, a nationally acclaimed French-influenced Chinese restaurant managed by a former academic librarian (the restaurant's namesake). 7 p.m. drinks, 7:30 dinner. Just over 40 people attended. Cost: $35.50 (incl. one glass white wine).
Annual 1994, Miami Beach, Saturday, June 25: Joan Rapp hosted at Dominique's Garden Terrace (Alexander Hotel) by the ocean. 6:45 p.m. drinks, 7:30 dinner. Cost (depending on entree): $37.75/$39.90 (incl. one glass white wine).
Midwinter
1994, Los Angeles, Saturday February 5: JoAnn Kunselman hosted at the
Back Porch Restaurant (Sheraton Grande Hotel). 7 p.m. drinks, 7:30 dinner.
Cost: $35.50 (incl. one glass white wine).
Information unavailable for 1989 - 1993.
WALDEN
V, Nov.5 - 7, 1987, Asheville, NC. Participants: 22.
Thursday
arrival & dinner, discussions all day Friday & Saturday.
WALDEN IV, November 1986, St. Petersburg, FL. About 15 women attended.
WALDEN
III, Nov. 1-3, 1985, LaCosta Resort Hotel, Carlsbad, CA. Participants:
24.
Arrival
& dinner Friday; discussions all day Saturday & half day Sunday.
WALDEN II, Nov. 1984, Wigwam, Phoenix, AZ. Participants: 22.
WALDEN I, Nov. 1983, Greenbrier, West Virginia. Participants: 14.
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Purpose
of my Web pages
Copyright (C) 1997 + |
