ALA Annual 2016

Farewell #alaac16

My bags are packed. They are lined up by the door while I wait for a taxi. Leaving this conference is always bittersweet. I am tired and ready to be home, back to the old routine, yet, there is so much that I gain from attending that it feels a bit sad that the conference is already over. I love catching up with colleagues I only see at the conference, and having an opportunity to spend time with some of my favorite authors.

ALA Annual 2016

52 Weeks of STEM @ Your Library #alaac16

STEM programming isn’t scary, it’s fun! At least that’s the message Heather Love Beverley and Heather Thompson from Cook Memorial Public Library District in Illinois gave a packed audience today at their 52 Weeks of STEM @ Your Library program. From hydraulic butterflies, DIY Rollercoaster to programming without computers, they shared how to add engaging STEM programming into your library.

ALA Annual 2016

Storytime Live! Improv Techniques that Work! #alaac16

This afternoon at #alaac16, Amy Steinbauer rocked in her program: Storytime Live! Improv Techniques That Work! She possess a great sense of humor and knowledge on how to move beyond your comfort zone to try new ways to engage your story time audience. Amy’s enthusiasm was contagious. She kept the audience of over 65 in stitches. Her approach is just another wonderful tool for your story time tool kit.

ALA Annual 2015

#alasf2015 Babies Need Words Every Day

I attended the Babies Need Words Every Day workshop this afternoon. The Babies Need Words Every Day program is designed to help parents and caregivers understand the importance of talking to their babies. The workshop offered attendees a chance to learn more about this initiative and ways other communities are already creating partnerships with local agencies to get the word out in hopes of increasing children’s exposure to language. Go to here for more information. There you will find downloadable posters, book list brochures, and soon a media kit. Sing those nursery rhymes!    

ALA Annual 2015

#alasf2015 A funny thing happened at the store

There is so much going on at #alasf2015, that a couple of times I’ve had to take a break from all the noise and confusion of the conference. There just is so much happening all at once that at times it is a bit too stimulating. The first time I took a break I sat in the lovely Yerba Buena Gardens and watched the world go by. The breeze felt great. The second time was when I got something to eat at Whole Foods. I was checking out and made a comment about visiting from Maine and guess what? My cashier was also from Maine! Not only was she from Maine, but she grew up in the town right next to mine! When I told her where I worked she said her family uses that library all the time. How cool is that? We chatted a bit about books and…

ALA Annual 2015

#alasf2015 Meeting your hero is pretty awesome

I didn’t actually meet Gloria Steinmen, but I heard her speak to a packed audience this morning starting at 8:30am. Gloria has been my hero throughout my life. I’ve admired her passion and commitment advocating for women to be seen as equal citizens and our right to control our bodies. Her message of being aware and opening your mind to seeing things with a different perspective was a reason I became a children’s librarian. Gloria said many amazing things as she spoke, but I found it admirable when she would admit that there were moments in her life when she connected the dots. Though she may have been talking about equality of the sexes, not realizing a female rock band could elicit as much screaming from fans as their male counterparts until she witnessed the explosion of emotions while at a Heart concert. That realizing your state legislators were more…