Search Results for: #alaac24

Making Connections, Keeping in Touch – After #alaac24

| Celeste Rhoads|Leave a comment

Meeting new contacts and potential friends is one of the main highlights of attending a professional conference such as #alaac24. But how do you keep in touch once we’ve headed home to our respective cities? It’s one thing to follow a blog or Instagram account of a librarian you admire, but the personal connections are truly meaningful. I’m located on another continent, so I’ve had a lot of practice keeping in touch over long distances, and I’m grateful for the tools we have at our disposal to remain in contact with professional networks and individuals who live and work far away, but it still takes time to maintain connections. I have a few tips for things you can do now and in the coming weeks and months to nurture those new connections:  Send an email today. If you traded business cards with someone fun/kind/interesting/funny/inspiring then send a note now so…

A Day in San Diego during the #alaac24

| Elizabeth Hurtado|Leave a comment

Embarking on a delightful journey from Little Italy to Coronado Beach Exploring San Diego during the #alaac24 was a charming experience. As I said in a past post, I always take advantage of conference time to tour the city where it is happening. It’s the moment I take to do some “adult’s stuff,” like long walks in parks, visiting museums and libraries, and places of my own interest while being with myself. Last Saturday, my day started with breakfast at Pappalecco in Little Italy, a charming café known for its delicious pastries, rich coffee, and inviting atmosphere. I enjoyed a delicious croissant and a cappuccino, savoring the vibrant ambiance of the neighborhood. After breakfast, I took a Lyft to Balboa Park. This sprawling urban cultural park in the heart of San Diego is renowned for its beautiful gardens, historic architecture, and numerous museums and cultural institutions. I wandered through the…

“What Fear Will Steal from You”: Final Thoughts on #alaac24

| Kelley Taksier|Leave a comment

Sitting on my suitcase as I triumphantly zip it up, I appreciate what an apt metaphor this is for my first #alaac24. My mind is as full of ideas and my heart as full of hope as my suitcase is of books. Ideas for how to expand students’ access to texts. Hope that the books in my suitcase will make it to and remain on the shelf in my Florida district.  The 2022–23 school year saw a 33% increase in book bans from the previous year, with Florida making up 40% of the bans and having more book bans than any other state. As scary as it is, I remind myself of Taraji P. Henson’s words on the main stage at #alaac24: “What fear will steal from you if you give it power.” I will not give fear the power to steal my hope. What do you do to maintain…

The End of #ALAAC24

| Arlene Laverde|Leave a comment

It is Tuesday July 2nd and ALA is coming to a close. To say it has been an adventure is an understatement. If you have never attended a national conference, I highly recommend it. There is so much to see, learn, and do. If you asked me to determine what part was my favorite, I don’t know if I could choose. This year it was the opening with Trevor Noah, walking the exhibit hall floor, connecting with old friends and making new ones. Every year conference does one main thing for me as an attendee. It invigorates me. I get excited all over again to be involved in such a great organization that works so hard for something I believe in. My conference this year is ending with the ALA President Inaugural Luncheon. This is a first time event for me. I am looking forward to meeting and networking with…

Manga Goes to School @ #ALAAC24

| Arlene Laverde|Leave a comment

The last session of the day, on the last day of the conference no less, Manga Goes to School, was heavily attended. Could it be the draw of the topic or the expertise of the presenters? Actually, it was both. Manga is all the buzz among young people across the country. It is read quickly and has a loyal following. If you are a school librarian like me, or a youth services librarian, this is a topic you need to keep on top of.

“Every Choice is Political”: The Newbery Caldecott Legacy Awards Banquet at #alaac24

| Kelley Taksier|Leave a comment

Last night, Vashti Harrison became the first Black woman to win the Randolph Caldecott Medal since it was first awarded in 1938. In her acceptance speech at #alaac24, which will be published online, Harrison spoke of implicit bias and how BIG was her own first step in “the important work that we all need to do.”