Do you consider yourself a wordsmith or a lover of languages? Are you a current, former, or future member of ALSC or interested in youth services? Then you won’t want to miss out on joining the Association for Library Service to Children (ALSC) Membership Committee on Friday, June 24th to learn about ALSC, connect with other youth services professionals and kick off ALA in style. The Membership Committee will be walking to and exploring Planet Word, the museum where language comes to life.
Planet Word is the world’s first fully-voice-activated and immersive museum. Upon entering the front gates, you’ll pass under the whispering “Speaking Willow Tree” sculpture, hearing murmurs of hundreds of languages as you pass under the branches. The third floor exhibits a 22-foot wall of words, sharing the story of the English language. In addition, it also holds an exhibit on “First Words,” demonstrating how we learn our first words and “The Spoken World,” which features languages from around the world and shares their uniqueness. Perhaps one of the most adventurous sections of the museum is on the second floor, where you can test your public speaking skills, paint with words to transform the color in the room around you, or visit “The Library,” filled with literary secrets and books that come to life right before your eyes, and much more. The journey ends on the first floor where you will have an opportunity to share how words have shaped you and visit the exhibit, “I’m Sold,” showcasing how advertisers use words, and you’ll have an opportunity to create an ad yourself.
One of my favorite conference activities is attending special events. It gives you an opportunity for meeting and socializing with others from our wonderful profession. So, if you’re heading to Washington, D.C., be sure to pack your walking shoes and join the ALSC Membership Committee at this amazing event; you will not want to miss it.
We’ll meet Friday at 2:30 pm ET at the Subway restaurant outside the convention center (1127 7th St NW, Washington, DC 20001) and take a half mile walk to Planet Word. If you don’t feel like walking, feel free to meet at the museum at 3 pm ET.
Tickets are provided by Planet Word and the ALSC Membership Committee, and the museum features inclusive accessibility. RSVP requested. Be sure to bring your business cards to make connections for the rest of the conference! Conference registration not required.
Erin Warnick is a youth services librarian at American Fork Library in Utah and a member of the ALSC Membership Committee.
This blog post relates to ALSC Core Competencies of: VII. Professionalism and Professional Development.