Finding the time and funding to support your professional development can be a challenge! As professionals in a field dedicated to lifelong learning, it is vital to seek out training and conferences to grow our skills and inspire new ideas. Once you’ve snagged that coveted registration spot, your real work begins. As a Librarian for a small city library, attending training and conferences often means hearing about initiatives on a scale I’d dare not imagine. Don’t let this scare you! If you’ve ever steered clear of a training because the idea seemed too big, or you didn’t feel you’d have the support to bring it to your library, this blog is for you! As a trainer and a trainee, I’ve heard both sides of frustrations around conferences and training. Beyond preferences in format and delivery, attendees commonly lament that there are no immediate actionable ideas for their library, or that they don’t…
Tag: conference
Presenting at #PLA2026
The other day I was browsing my inbox for an email and I found the initial email that I sent my colleague about collaborating for a presentation at PLA. It shocked me to see that that was nearly a year ago, when today we finally got to share our presentation with #PLA2026 attendees.
Attending the 2025 Fay B. Kaigler Children’s Book Festival
This April, I had the privilege of presenting at and attending the Fay B. Kaigler Children’s Book Festival at the University of Southern Mississippi. Check out some festival history and highlights, and find out how to attend next year’s festival below!
You Had a Fantastic Time at ALA Annual!…Now What Happens?
You had an absolutely amazing time at ALA Annual and are returning home energized and ready to implement so many things where you work!…So what comes next?
What Can I do at LibLearnX 2024?
Can you believe how quickly this year has gone by? I feel like it was only last week that I was thinking about LibLearnX 2023, and here we are in December 2023 gearing up for LibLearnX 2024!
#alamw19 and the Anxiety of the Exhibit Hall
It’s that time of year… time for the giant sprawling exhibit hall of brand new books (both free and at discount), vendors, networking, free snacks, and ANXIETY. Sometimes the exhibit hall offers FOMO with getting the coolest tote bags, hottest books, and precious minutes to gush with your favorite author… it’s real, and I think we all experience it– even if we are actually there. And while it is endless amounts of fun and discovery… it is also so hard for some people (ME!) who can be socially awkward. I am a super extroverted person… it’s one of the ways I can shine at being a librarian… but I also feel horribly uncomfortable and awkward in situations with lots of people, and also with all the people looking to sell something to you. So- I offer some tips to survive. Even if you are #alaleftbehind, one day you may experience…
French Comics Panel Discussion #alaac18
Yesterday was an amazing start to my weekend in New Orleans at the 2018 ALA Conference! Not only did I have the distinct pleasure of co-presenting for the first time at ALA (Shout-out to fellow live blogger Soline Holmes for her post about my session) but I attended some great programs and discussions! I particularly enjoyed the panel discussion “French Comics Kiss Better: Bande Dessinee 101” which took place at the Graphic Novel and Gaming Stage in the exhibits hall. This program, sponsored by the French Comics Association, included some of my favorite creators of youth graphic novels- such as Aurelie Neyret, author of Cici’s Journal. Other creators on the panel were Eve Tharlet (Mr. Badger & Mrs. Fox), Cati Bauer (Four Sisters) and Barroux (Alpha). These authors and illustrators discussed their work process, the challenges of getting their works into the American market, translations and more. They also shared…
All about the mentors…#alaac18
ALA Annual is many things to me. The best time of year? yes! Librarian Christmas (or huge celebration?) Yes! Professional development? yes! Networking? Yes! Lots of decked out librarians in their finest cat or mermaid creations? Yes and yes and yes and yes! lol! But one thing that ALA Annual means to me is mentorship. When I was a wee librarian at my first ALA- now 5 years ago- I immediately signed up for a conference mentor through NMRT and I have been lucky enough to keep meeting with her years later! ALA is overwhelming… conferences are gigantic and jam-packed and even when you are not #alaleftbehind you can develop serious #FOMO when you are there! It is impossible to do everything, and you may or may not luck into doing just some of the things you wanted to do! So search out what interests you in the organization and…