Senate of the State of Texas
Proclamation 127

Whereas, The Senate of the State of Texas is pleased to recognize Loriene Roy, who has been elected president of the American Library Association, the largest and oldest organization of librarians in the world; and

Whereas, Loriene Roy began her career as a public librarian in Yuma, Arizona; she has served as a professor at the School of Information at The University of Texas at Austin since 1987; she is noted for her philosophy of inclusiveness and for drawing her American Indian heritage to embrace a library ethos based on the guiding ideas of community, collaboration, and culture; and

Whereas, Known for her deep concern with matters of education, social justice, and literacy, Loriene Roy views librarians as guardians of intellectual freedom and defenders of the public's reading rights; and

Whereas, She has traveled the world in her effort to study libraries and the different ways in which libraries serve indigenous peoples; her doctrine is that library is a concept, not merely a building that houses books, and that library represents a gathering place and a font of collective wisdom; and

Whereas, An Anishinabe who was raised in rural Minnesota, Loriene was inaugurated as president of the American Library Association at a black-tie gala in Washington, D.C., on June 26, 2007; now, therefore be it

Proclaimed, That the Senate of the State of Texas hereby commend Loriene Roy for her dedication to her profession and to the study of libraries and extend congratulations to her on her election as president of the American Library Association; and be it further

Proclaimed, That a copy of this Proclamation be prepared for her as an expression of high regard from the Texas Sentate.

Kirk Watson
Member, Texas Senate

I hereby certify that the above Proclamation was adopted.
Patsy Spaw
Secretary of the Senate