Question: What converns, criticisms or praise have you heard as you've traveled across the country?

Chen: Yes, in the last three months, I have campaigned from New York to California and from Pennsylvania to South Carolina. I am sad to report that I have sensed some feelings of alienation from ALA. This is in part because ALA is so large. It is also because of the politics of ALA. We must work to diminish these internal political manoeuvres and to address our real professional concerns. I am not interested in empty rhetoric and playing politics and, as your President, I will not indulge in either. There has been too much jockeying for position in ALA and it should stop. The time has come to get things done!

Qestion: Several months ago ALA was attacked by Focus on the Family. How would you respond to such future attacks?

Chen: "This is a very complex topic. ALA needs to have a firm stance. Intellectual freedom and fundamental principals need to be followed. We must make sure committees and task forces would work very hard at that. It is important for us to look at intellectual freedom and see which side is shifting out the information." We must make sure that everyone has the right to access information regardless of age, ethnic, sexual backgrounds.

Qestion: How do you think the ALA Washington Office priorities should be set and how should the Fund for America's Libraries be spent?"

Chen: The members surveyed say information technology, access to information, funding, public relations, and intellectual &codom are most important. We must continue to strengthen those activities. Above all we can't do anything without proper funding, therefore we must lobby as hard as we can for all types of funding. We need a diversity office and we need to learn to use technology more effectively to enhance information access.

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Other questions include: [These are not included in the COGNOTE news]

Question: How do you react to members of the association who hold on to committee appointment when elected to other more involved positions in the association?

Chen: ALA is an association of almost 58,000 members and we have a lot of talents among members. Diversity, involvement and participation are key to my agenda when elected. It is not right to have only a very small number of members who are moving around appointments like musical chairs. We must give newer and talented members opportunities to participate, and we must diversify!

Question: Some divisions are unhappy with their representation at Council, how do you address this type of concerns?

Chen: This question as well some of the earlier ones signify the kind of "disconnect" within the association. It speaks strongly the need to get members involved. Clearly we must find ways to work together with divisions and to address their concerns in the fair and effective manner. Otherwise, we will see some divisions starting to think of "departure" from the ALA.

5-minute Opening Statement	2-minute closing statement