Opening ceremony yesterday at World Library & Information Congress went way too long. Not sure what they were thinking. Do the organizers really think thousands of people want to spend their entire day inside a large and undistinguished conference room when outside the sun is shining and Quebec City is celebrating its 400th birthday with street performers, great food, and lovely parks?

The restructuring of IFLA itself was a topic of interest, although some officers didn’t make the informational meeting as the opening ceremony delayed them.

Irony of the day: The Congress has, as its theme, Libraries Without Borders, but Canadian Immigration was busy defending Canada’s borders from librarians trying to enter. According to the Toronto Star, 27 delegates had problems obtaining visas and 13 were refused. For a country whose television media is doing a fabulous job of covering the Beijing Olympics, this is sad. Also makes you wonder what athletes will have visa problems for the 2010 Winter Games in Vancouver, Canada.