We talk a lot about the grass roots.
In 1977-1978 every state held a Conference in the run-up to the national White House Conference on Library and Information Services.
I recently reviewed the Illinois Conference Report which was an issue of Illinois Libraries.
The report functioned as the official proceedings/summary of the state conference held November 12–14, 1978, in Springfield, Illinois (with extensive planning and 17 regional preconferences occurring in 1977–1978).
The report details the full planning process, delegate selection, regional activities, conference proceedings, 108 recommendations adopted by delegates delegate demographics, evaluation against planning objectives, and post-conference reflections.
Illinois did this before e-mail and before word processing. It was typed!
You can read the report here:
Baron, Jean, ed. 1979. "Illinois White House Conference on Library and Information Services." Illinois Libraries 61, no. 4 (April): 303–392. Full text available at ERIC ED179210.
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Kathleen de la Peña McCook
Distinguished University Professor
School of Information
University of South Florida
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