The last time I was at an in-person conference was ALA Midwinter January 2020 in Philadelphia, PA. I am excited to return to an in-person conference but feeling a bit of trepidation. My itinerary for this conference is a bit over enthusiastic. My intensive DC conference planning is packed full reconnecting with mentors, mentees, friends, committee members, translators, publishers, and of course authors, while trying to go to programming and go to the ALSC Awards on Monday morning to see the presentation of my favorite award – The Mildred L. Batchelder.
I completely over-scheduled, but within hours of arriving to #alaac22 my schedule has changed. I am embracing this as a a good thing. I found myself fading after a Friday afternoon full of finance meetings, visiting my favorite publishers at the exhibits and then an evening recap meeting on finances.
With my new schedule openings, instead of looking for new opportunities to learn, engage, and network, I have decided to lean into a nap. I need to restore myself for all the wonderful things to come at this conference. Thinking especially of the long and lovely night that is the Newbery, Caldecott, and Legacy Banquet. I am trying to learn to take care of myself during this conference.
Conference guest contributor Paula Holmes (she/her/hers) has served in a variety of volunteer capacities for the Association for Library Service to Children (a division of the American Library Association) and is currently the Co-Chair for ALSC 2023 President’s Program and a member of the ALSC Budget Committee. She also serves on the USBBY 2023 Dorothy Briley Lecture Committee and is a contributing blogger to World Kid Lit. Paula is currently taking ballet to improve her interpretative dancing, creating tiny collage art, reading translations of children’s literature, and attempting to learn Finnish. She’ll be munching on Mango Fruit Leather at Conference but Twizzlers are her favorite. You can follow her on Twitter at @qsprite.
Please note that as a guest post, the views expressed here do not represent the official position of ALA or ALSC.