ALA Conference Experience: A First-Timer's Experience
ALA Conference Experience: A First-Timer's Experience
~contributed by Carmen Moser, Southridge Senior School
Day One
The inaugural day of my conference experience got off to a rocky start: a change in planes, then a mechanical issue, followed by a delay, rounded out by a less-than-impressive Lyft driver who, at one point, was driving on the wrong side of the road which I politely pointed out - very Canadian of me - all meant that I missed the opening session talk by Melinda Gates. It was something I had really been looking forward to and, not surprisingly, I was feeling fairly defeated as I plodded up to the preregistration table of the Washington State Convention Center.
My melancholy was soon tempered as the exhibition hall opened and the wonders of what lay in wait were revealed. To say that it was overwhelming would be a vast understatement. I didn’t really understand what the purpose of all of these vendor were: no one was actually selling anything. Fortunately, soon it became clear. These booths were all about promotion and publicity. There were companies with software I could play with, publishers with early copies I could peruse, and authors autographing their books. It was glorious. Ultimately, while I still felt like I had a little deer-in-the-headlights about me, I walked out with a number of pamphlets, some interesting ideas, and thirteen pre-released books, included a manuscript copy of Ruta Serpeys newest novel. I’m pretty excited about what tomorrow will hold.
Day Two
Day One
The inaugural day of my conference experience got off to a rocky start: a change in planes, then a mechanical issue, followed by a delay, rounded out by a less-than-impressive Lyft driver who, at one point, was driving on the wrong side of the road which I politely pointed out - very Canadian of me - all meant that I missed the opening session talk by Melinda Gates. It was something I had really been looking forward to and, not surprisingly, I was feeling fairly defeated as I plodded up to the preregistration table of the Washington State Convention Center.
My melancholy was soon tempered as the exhibition hall opened and the wonders of what lay in wait were revealed. To say that it was overwhelming would be a vast understatement. I didn’t really understand what the purpose of all of these vendor were: no one was actually selling anything. Fortunately, soon it became clear. These booths were all about promotion and publicity. There were companies with software I could play with, publishers with early copies I could peruse, and authors autographing their books. It was glorious. Ultimately, while I still felt like I had a little deer-in-the-headlights about me, I walked out with a number of pamphlets, some interesting ideas, and thirteen pre-released books, included a manuscript copy of Ruta Serpeys newest novel. I’m pretty excited about what tomorrow will hold.
Day Two
I got off to an early start which quickly rolled into a very busy day. There were sessions and presentations galore, so much so that I was not able to make all of the ones I wanted to as time slots overlapped. I began by listening to a panel discuss their work in library research - that is, doing research about libraries. My big takeaway from this session was the need to continue to do research. As education evolves and the role of the librarian adapts to best support that change, we need to make sure that we’re documenting our value in meaningful and thorough capacites.
From there I joined the Independent Schools Section (ISS) as they discussed their needs moving forward. Their two most pressing concerns were communication, both for members and for those who might benefit from their knowledge, and diversifying their member pool. While I was able to identify with the need for fluid and timely communication (maybe two meetings a year isn’t enough?), the piece on diversity hasn’t come up in the ISABC meetings.
The last major session of the day had me sit in with people invested in the development of the physical space of libraries. There were a whole host of people involved: architects, designers, university librarians, state librarians...and then there was me, with my tiny little 800 square foot library. Interestingly, the needs and concerns were concepts I could identify with: usage of space, durability of materials, budgets, longevity of the vision. It was very interesting and gave me some perspective.
In between the sessions I tried to get to the Book Buzz Theater as much as possible to learn about new titles dropping in the next few months. I also pursued the exhibits floor some more and was able to limit myself to seven pre-releases today.
Day Three
Today was the culmination of an amazing weekend. Rick Steves - a personal hero - was one of the final auditorium speakers, and he spoke first thing in the morning. While some might question the connection between travel and libraries, Rick was clear that whether someone travels from place to place in the physical world, or via the pages of a book, they’re broadening their perspective, and this world needs more of that. He was very engaging, highly relevant, and I left an even bigger fan than I arrived (if possible).
Like the previous days, I ran from session to session, having to leave some early to make it to others. I learned about new EBSCO products, strengthened my understanding of what students need as they transition to university, met with vendors, and listened to many talks on books. And I’ve finally surrendered to the fact that I will indeed need to send all of my swag home via post. Even Rick Steves couldn’t fill all of this loot into a carry-on bag.
While this was an exhausting weekend and filled with more than I could ever hope to attend, it was invigorating. Being surrounded by like-minded professionals is so rarely an option for me and many other teacher-librarians, and I felt empowered by knowing that there are so many of us out there who want to do good work. I am so grateful that my school was able to provide the opportunity for me to go and I hope to be able to attend future conferences as well.
The last major session of the day had me sit in with people invested in the development of the physical space of libraries. There were a whole host of people involved: architects, designers, university librarians, state librarians...and then there was me, with my tiny little 800 square foot library. Interestingly, the needs and concerns were concepts I could identify with: usage of space, durability of materials, budgets, longevity of the vision. It was very interesting and gave me some perspective.
In between the sessions I tried to get to the Book Buzz Theater as much as possible to learn about new titles dropping in the next few months. I also pursued the exhibits floor some more and was able to limit myself to seven pre-releases today.
Day Three
Today was the culmination of an amazing weekend. Rick Steves - a personal hero - was one of the final auditorium speakers, and he spoke first thing in the morning. While some might question the connection between travel and libraries, Rick was clear that whether someone travels from place to place in the physical world, or via the pages of a book, they’re broadening their perspective, and this world needs more of that. He was very engaging, highly relevant, and I left an even bigger fan than I arrived (if possible).
Like the previous days, I ran from session to session, having to leave some early to make it to others. I learned about new EBSCO products, strengthened my understanding of what students need as they transition to university, met with vendors, and listened to many talks on books. And I’ve finally surrendered to the fact that I will indeed need to send all of my swag home via post. Even Rick Steves couldn’t fill all of this loot into a carry-on bag.
While this was an exhausting weekend and filled with more than I could ever hope to attend, it was invigorating. Being surrounded by like-minded professionals is so rarely an option for me and many other teacher-librarians, and I felt empowered by knowing that there are so many of us out there who want to do good work. I am so grateful that my school was able to provide the opportunity for me to go and I hope to be able to attend future conferences as well.
