This year, I am traveling with my nine-year-old reader at ALA annual, so on conference day one I picked up my badge and purchased a child’s pass at the registration desk (only available in person), and additional tickets for her to attend some of the events on my schedule. I opted to find a local babysitter for the first day, to give myself time to settle into the conference, and so my daughter could explore the city.
Author: Celeste Rhoads
Everybody’s talking about AI at #alaac26
AI has been a topic of discussion for years, but increasingly, I’m hearing school librarians and librarians working with children and teens who are interested in ways we can educate users about how to use AI tools safely and ethically.
Catching up with old friends, and making new friends at #alaac26
The ALA annual conference offers an opportunity to reconnect with colleagues, share experiences, and discover the latest trends in libraries. For a long time, I was the only youth services staff at my library, and I especially enjoyed ALA Annual because it was one of the few places where I could meet other children’s and teens’ services librarians and share ideas. Now that I work with a small team of dedicated children’s and teens’ services staff, I still value the connections I’ve made at ALA, and I’m looking forward to meeting new people this year too. There’s no place like a conference to meet motivated, energetic, and dedicated professionals! Librarians are always happy to share ideas and brainstorm and it’s refreshing to hear about what librarians are doing in other systems. Panels are great, but some of the most rewarding experiences I’ve had at annual are casual conversations—in line for…
Data, Metrics, and Storytelling for Advocacy at #alaac26
One of the highlights of my day on Saturday was the panel on the Invisible Labor of Library Work: Data, Metrics, and Storytelling for Advocacy. Let’s face it, most of the children’s and teens’ services librarians I know are great at hosting programs, but need help gathering data. This program promised to demonstrated how “data and storytelling can be used to strengthen advocacy, funding, and public understanding of the library’s role in the community,” but it offered so much more. The panelists all highlighted that any data gathering shouldn’t be done for the sole purpose of gathering numbers, but to help us advocate for our users and for each other. All panelists provided examples of how clear policies can help library workers carve out time for this important data collection. They also spoke about the need to build in support for staff so that all library workers can find success….
I’ll take #alaac26 with a cup of tea, and a side of comics, please!
I’ve been hearing about the Magical Comics Tea (a ticketed event sponsored by the Graphic Novels and Comics Round Table) for years, but missed out on tickets until now. The event didn’t disappoint! Over the course of the event, I had the opportunity to meet 15 comic-creators! Attendees are seated at small tables and the comic creators rotate between tables and spend about 5 minutes with each group. Does this sound a lot like a game of musical chairs to you, too? This event is structured much like YALSA’s coffee klatch, and I was impressed that all of the creators managed to keep their energy up as they chatted with all of us. The event was a whirlwind, and excellent fun!
So much to do, so little time! My top events at #alaac26
There’s so much to do at ALA annual that it’s tough to decide how to plan a day. I know that these four days will fly by. I’m looking forward to chatting with colleagues on the exhibit floor, and to seeing what new books will be out soon. Along with author signings, and the new connections that arise when we strike up conversations with fellow librarians (and future librarians), publishers, and other literature advocates, I love attending panels and celebration events. Here are the events I’m most looking forward to:
The Post-ALA Annual Conference TBR Pile
Meeting authors and illustrators is an exciting part of attending #alaac24. I feel very lucky to have been able to attend the conference this year. While I didn’t have time to meet everyone I wanted to, I was able to pick up several advance reading copies to take home. Here’s what I’m most excited to read. If you picked up any great ARCs at #alaac24 or elsewhere, I’d love to know what’s on your list! Conference Blogger Celeste Rhoads (she/her/hers) is originally from John Steinbeck’s hometown of Salinas, California, where she read on the beach, in trees, on road trips, and everywhere in between. She moved to Paris in 2005, and immediately found a home at the American Library in Paris. As the Children’s and Teens’ Services Manager, she oversees the Library’s collections, policies, and programs for ages 0–18. Celeste has a master’s degree in Library Science from Rutgers University, where she…
Making Connections, Keeping in Touch – After #alaac24
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…