From the Director's Desk

July 16, 2009

Beverly J. Obert, Executive Director

What Do You Do at an ALA Conference?

ALA has just completed its 2009 national conference. It lasted for 6 days, with one day being preconferences, four days of programming, the exhibits, and special breakfast, luncheon, or dinner events to celebrate ALA Awards, and the last day for ALA council business meetings.

I attended the conference and was in Chicago from Thursday the 9^th to the 14^th.  Here is a brief summary of what I attended.  I will be blogging in more detail on the events and information found in the exhibits.

Thursday, I attended a planning meeting for ARC, Americas Regional Council of OCLC.  The governance has changed at OCLC from a member’s council to a global council.  For the past three years I have represented ILLINET on member’s council.  I found it a valuable and interesting experience.  The ARC is your way as a member to become more involved in OCLC.  Keep watching as ARC makes plans for its first meeting at ALA in Washington DC in 2010.

Friday I had meetings in the morning, then attended the OCLC Symposium with Joseph Michelli.  He was a very interesting person with some interesting opinions about libraries.

Saturday was a full day as I attended five different programs: one on EZ proxy, another on “Effective Safety and Security Practices in Today’s Public Library”, then “Life after 2.0” and “Coalition Building for All Libraries in a Tough Economy.” I ended the day at the Opening General Session where Christie Hefner spoke.  I also slipped into the exhibit hall for a brief time.

Sunday I attended the ASCLA Presidents Program that featured Joan Frye Williams and George Needham as speakers.  I looked at all the bookmobiles in the Parade of bookmobiles.  They truly are mini libraries on wheels.  The last session for me that day was titled “More than a Paycheck: Creative Benefits Packages for Libraries.”  I also had time to buzz into the exhibits and browsed through one set of poster sessions that had some very good topics and ideas—some that I will share on the blog.

Monday was a day for attending committee meetings of ALA, The National Library Week Committee and the Public Affairs Committee.  Between the meetings I met the RPLS members that came up to see the exhibits and looked at exhibits again.  Then off to the OCLC President’s Luncheon, back to the McCormick Center to hear author Tracy Kidder, and into the Exhibits to end the day.

Tuesday I heard Steve Lopez, Author of “The Soloist” at the closing session then another 3 hours in exhibits before catching the train back home.

Now, why so much time in the exhibits?  Well, there were 21 aisles with vendors on both sides of the aisles.  You name it and if it had to do with libraries it was there, publishers, vendors of library supplies, furniture, and equipment, architects, and special interest groups like ASPCA.  I probably spent six to seven hours in the exhibits and there were still vendors that I did not see.

That’s the short version of what I did at ALA.  For more details watch my blog.  I have enough information to post twice a week well into August!

Rolling Prairie Library System
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