At this point in time, we could ask anyone walking down the street how technology has played a part in their lives and they would have an answer. Some of us would have a very difficult time getting through the day without glancing at our smartphones at least a couple times to check email, Twitter, etc. Some of us love new tech and have immediately pre-ordered or waited in long lines for the chance to purchase the next big thing to change our lives. Some of us don’t understand what the point of all these screens are and consider technology more of a nuisance than anything helpful. However, at some point, in this past year especially, we’ve had to use it. Whether it’s in order to work from home, to help our children learn from home, or to attend a family member’s virtual birthday party, you need at the very…
Category: ALA Virtual Midwinter 2021
Joy Harjo at #ALAMW21
This afternoon I was able to tune into Poet Laureate Joy Harjo’s talk while tackling some meal prep tasks in my kitchen. Joy Harjo (Muscogee (Creek)) is the 23rd Poet Laureate Consultant in Poetry and the first Native American to hold the position. One thing that poet laureates do (I learned) is that she works on a special project of her choice with the Library of Congress. Joy Harjo’s chosen project is a story map of living Native poets called Living Nations, Living Words and it’s an amazing resource.
Exploring the Exhibits at #ALAMW21
As a collection development librarian, the exhibits are always a huge draw for me at conferences. Since we’re virtual this year, what do the ALA Midwinter 2021 exhibits look like? Well, of course I’m not able to pick up physical galleys (my shoulders appreciate that!), but there is still a lot to look through on the conference website. Bonus: many digital galleys are available to request by folks who aren’t registered for the conference, too!
Excited to Listen to More Remarkable Recordings #alamw21
The final open meeting of the Notable Recordings Committee discusses 5 remaining titles, including When the Stars are Scattered. In this post, ALSC members can learn a little more about volunteering for committees.
Spotlight on ALA Leadership: Happy to Peruse Document Inventory #alamw21
I’m thinking back to Thursday pre-conference. I attended the Executive Board Meeting Session 1. During the time that I sat in on the meeting, Stephanie Hlywak, Director of ALA’s Communications and Marketing Office, spoke to the board about her report “Who Speaks for ALA”, Branding and Website Discussion. She also invited a guest speaker to discuss the ALA website and brand position.
Empowering Young Voices Through Illustrated Stories at #alamw21
Scholastic’s “Empowering Young Voices Through Illustrated Stories” was like a behind-the-scenes meeting with the creators of three new picture books. These titles included Lala’s Words by Gracey Zhang, The Little Blue Bridge by Brenda Maier, and Wishes by Mượn Thị Văn and Victo Ngai. All eloquent storytellers, visual and written, the creators put emphasis on the importance of empathy and multicultural representation, as well as believing in oneself and the change that we can create ourselves. Mượn Thị Văn says these steps can be big or small and has hope that readers will be empowered to take them after reading Wishes. Brenda Maier pointed out a lesson in The Little Blue Bridge, that you cannot control others, only how you react to a situation yourself. Gracey Zhang expressed how important words are and the way they are used, as well as the importance of the images and what they portray….
Rapidly Changing Libraries for the Better
As a first time attendee to any ALA meeting, I’m pretty sure that Midwinter 2021 will spoil me for future in-person events. Sitting in my apartment in front of my laptop, wrapped up in blankets with my nice warm mug of coffee as I magically click from panel to panel is not how I expected my first library conference to go, so I’m definitely enjoying the coziness of it all while I can!
A Choir Singing About African American History at #ALAMW21
As a youth specialist, I don’t always prioritize reading adult books, particularly doorstopper nonfiction history books. But I’m making an exception for Four Hundred Souls: A Community History of African America 1619 – 2019 edited by Ibram X. Kendi and Keisha N. Blain, our ALA Midwinter opening speakers.