Heading to ALA Annual is always something to look forward to. But before I tell you about my journey this year, let me tell you a little bit about myself. I am Arlene Laverde and as of July 1st I will be officially retired from the New York City Department of Education. I have completed 33 years as an educator, the last 17 of them as a high school librarian. You might be wondering why I am attending ALA annual if I am retired…and that is a great question. I might be a newly retired librarian, but I will never be really retired from all things library.
In the last 17 years, working as a school librarian has become integral to who I am, and ALA has played a large role. My first ALA conference was 2018 in New Orleans. And to be completely honest, I went because it was New Orleans, not realizing that the energy and excitement of ALA would completely take over. I cannot tell you how overwhelming everything was. The vendor floor, the sessions, the authors, the people… I was in awe not knowing where to turn to first.
After that first conference I was hooked not only attending ALA annual yearly but adding to the mix AASL bi-annual conferences.
As I pack to head to San Diego, I am thinking about what sessions I should attend. If you were to look at my calendar, I am at times double, and triple booked because I can’t make up my mind. I am hoping that I see the friends I have made over the years and catch up on the happenings in our libraries and communities, but also what is going on in our lives.
I can’t wait to see which authors I can see and hear speak about their latest books. I know Neal Shusterman will be around and I always enjoy listening to him talk about his journey. Then there is the vendor floor. What swag will I collect this year? It is like a scavenger hunt adventure. I know — like every other ALA conference I’ve attended — my days and nights will be jam packed with information, friends, and excitement.
Conference blogger Arlene Laverde (she/her/hers) is a very recent (July 1, 2024) NYCPS retiree. She has been the school librarian at Townsend Harris High School in Queens NY for ten years and worked in various high schools and elementary schools in Brooklyn and Queens. When in school she never considered librarianship as a career. She started as an elementary school teacher and accidentally fell into the role as a school librarian. She hasn’t looked back since. She is currently serving as co-chair for the AASL 2025 National Conference in St. Louis and will be attending the Morris Seminar in Denver, Colorado this September. She’s looking forward to the Newbery-Caldecott-Legacy Banquet, as well as not only reconnecting with friends from around the country, but meeting new ones throughout the conference. Now that she is a retiree, all things are possible and looks forward to exploring her many interests, as well as the continued fight for library advocacy. Twitter handle: @THHSLibrary
Please note that as a guest post, the views expressed here do not represent the official position of ALA or ALSC.