"Curation," "Curator," "Curate"

       Last Thursday's L.A. Times noted that the Ojai Music Festival was put together by choreographer and music director Mark Morris, "and his curation includes danceable and moving tunes by Terry Riley, Lou Harrison..." etc.

       I hadn't seen the word "curation" before, only "curator" and the verb "curate."  One keeps learning.  It's a word.  Then I discovered something odd:  81% of the American Heritage Dictionary "Usage Panel" disapproves of  "to curate"; it is a back-formation of the noun "curator" (i.e., formed after "curator" and developed from it).

       Personally, I think if people need a verb to declare what someone DOES who is a curator, and come up with the word for it, it's a WORD.   You'll only consign yourselves to the dust-bin of history, "Usage Panel,"  huffing at a word widely present and useful.