Librarians, library support staff, vendors, and guests will once again bring their economic and muscle power to assist New Orleans’ public libraries, schools, and community rebuilding projects during the American Library Association’s 135th Annual Conference, June 23–28, taking place at the Ernest N. Morial Convention Center, area hotels, and other venues.
ALA held the first major conference in the city during the aftermath of Hurricanes Katrina and Rita, which devastated the Gulf Coast and caused heavy damage to libraries and museums (AL, Aug. 2006, p. 42–63). Librarians, armed with brushes, masks, and protective gear, took to the streets to assist. New Orleans is still in need of a helping hand as rebuilding efforts continue, and 2011 ALA conference participants in “Libraries Build Communities Volunteer Day” will arm themselves once again Friday, June 24 from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Volunteers will be able to select projects of interest. Lunch, transportation, and a participation T-shirt are included in the $10 registration fee. Because of logistics and other considerations, there will be no onsite registration. Visit the Annual Conference website to purchase tickets, if available.
The annual Membership Meeting will take place Saturday, June 25 from 3:30 to 5 p.m., focusing on libraries and the communities the profession serves and supports. Two speakers from the New Orleans area will talk about post-Katrina rebuilding of their respective libraries and the impact these libraries have had on their communities. Linda Hill-Smith, curator/archivist, Center for African/African American Studies, Southern University; and Idella Washington, librarian at William Hart Elementary School in Gretna, Louisiana, and former librarian, Benjamin Franklin High School, New Orleans, will talk about the challenges and successes of serving campus communities after Katrina and the key role libraries played in their students’ lives. There will also be reports from ALA Executive Director Keith Michael Fiels, ALA President Roberta Stevens, and ALA President-elect Molly Raphael on the state of the Association.
New combined Opening Session/exhibits kickoff
New for this year’s Annual is a combined Opening General Session and exhibits opening Friday, June 24 beginning at 4 p.m. Dan Savage, author of the syndicated column “Savage Love” and the editorial director of Seattle’s weekly newspaper The Stranger, is the Opening General Session speaker.
Last fall, Savage and his husband, Terry Miller, spearheaded the “It Gets Better” campaign by uploading a video to YouTube after a rash of suicides by gay teens who took their own lives because of bullying. Six months later, itgetsbetter.org has evolved into a nonprofit organization and a national movement, with over 10,000 videos and growing. President Barack Obama, Salt Lake City Public Library, the Free Library of Philadelphia, politicians such as Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and British Prime Minister David Cameron, and celebrities such as Tim Gunn and Ellen DeGeneres have all created campaign videos. It Gets Better: Coming Out, Overcoming Bullying, and Creating a Life Worth Living, edited by Savage and Miller, was released in March by Dutton. The pair will sign copies of the book at the conclusion of the Opening General Session.
The ALA/Exhibits Round Table Opening Reception immediately follows the opening session at 5:30 p.m. There will be free hors d’oeuvres and some of the more than 1,500 exhibitors will offer special giveaways in their booths. The ribbon-cutting ceremony starts at 5:15 p.m.
Exhibit hours are: Friday, June 24, Exhibits Opening Reception, 5:30–7:30 p.m.; Saturday, June 25, and Sunday, June 26, 9 a.m.–5 p.m.; and Monday, June 27, 9 a.m.–2 p.m.
The ALA Membership Pavilion is the first stop in the exhibits. Learn how membership can enhance careers, connect you with colleagues from around the world, and help improve library services to communities. ALA Ambassadors, a group of long-time, experienced members, will be on hand to welcome conference-goers and help them find the right resource both at conference and throughout the year. New members can meet colleagues from the New Members Round Table, who will help them find ways to get more involved in the Association.
The ALA Store, now located on the exhibit floor, is equipped with more space and a new layout. Shop for new and popular products, including the Harry Potter stars’ and Nathan Fillion READ posters; National Library Week materials; Teen Tech Week promotional items; Read, Renew, Return aluminum water bottles; 2011 Annual Conference T-shirts; Fang-tastic Fiction: Twenty-First Century Paranormal Reads; Winning Library Grants: A Game Plan; Reid’s Read-Alouds 2: Modern-Day Classics from C. S. Lewis to Lemony Snicket; and In the Words of the Winners: The Newbery and Caldecott Medals, 2001–2010. Be sure to check your badge for special offers.
Other exhibit highlights include the What’ Cooking @ ALA Cooking Demonstration Stage, where chefs will prepare their hottest recipes and autograph their latest books, which will also be available in the Cookbook Pavilion. Take a break from a day of meetings and programs and stop by the LIVE! @ your library Reading Stage. Enjoy readings from new and favorite authors, learn how to develop author programs for your library, and find new recommendations for your patrons. The stage will run Saturday, June 25, and Sunday, June 26, from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m., and Monday, June 27 from 10 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. The PopTop Stage will focus on popular librarian favorites—mystery, romance, technology, and travel—with readings, discussions, and presentations. Hear from authors, illustrators, and creators of the hottest games and graphic novels at the Graphic Novel/Gaming Stage.
The Wrap-up Rev-Up Exhibits Closing Celebration takes place on the exhibit floor Tuesday, June 27 from 2 to 4 p.m., with entertainment, snacks, and prize drawings. The event is designed to prepare conferees for the upcoming 2012 Midwinter Meeting, January 20–24, in Dallas.
Molly Shannon, whose debut children’s book Tilly the Trickster will be published in September by Abrams Books for Young Readers, is the Closing General Session speaker Tuesday, June 28, from 9 to 10 a.m. The Emmy-nominated actress became famous for her roles on Saturday Night Live. Shannon has appeared in numerous hit movies, including Superstar, Never Been Kissed, and How the Grinch Stole Christmas, and featured on top-rated television shows, including Glee in 2010, and 30 Rock, Scrubs, Seinfeld, Will & Grace, Sex and the City, and The New Adventures of Old Christine. She also recently starred in the Broadway show Promises, Promises.
President’s Program probes Wikipedia
Sue Gardner, executive director of the nonprofit Wikimedia Foundation, will be the guest of Roberta Stevens at her President’s Program Sunday, June 25 from 4:30 to 5 p.m. to discuss “Wikipedia: Past, Present, and Future.” Gardner was formerly head of cbc.ca, the internet platform for the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation, Canada’s radio, TV, and new media public broadcaster and the nation’s largest journalistic organization. She began her career in 1990 on the now-classic radio program As It Happens.
Celebrity circle
The Auditorium Speakers Series continues June 25 through June 27, beginning with the Mystery Panel featuring J. A. Jance and Harlan Coben Saturday, June 25, from 8 to 9 a.m. Jance is the New York Times bestselling author of the J. P. Beaumont series, the Joanna Brady series, the Ali Reynolds series, and four interrelated thrillers about the Walker Family. Coben is the New York Times number-one bestselling author of numerous adult novels and the winner of the Edgar Award, Shamus Award, and Anthony Award—the first author to receive all three.
Jeff Kinney, whose work has been widely credited for its ability to turn reluctant readers onto books, is the Saturday, June 25, speaker from 10:30 to 11:30 a.m. Since publication of the first Diary of a Wimpy Kid series in April 2007, more than 35 million copies are in print in the United States, and the books have been sold in more than 30 countries. The series has won a Nickelodeon Kids’ Choice Award and numerous other awards voted on by students and teachers in schools around the globe. In 2009, Kinney was named one of Time magazine’s most influential people in the world.
William Joyce addresses conference-goers Saturday, June 25 from 1:30 to 2:30 p.m. He put his personal stamp on all types of children’s media: He’s written and illustrated such picture books as George Shrinks (Harper, 1985), Dinosaur Bob and His Adventures with the Family Lazardo (Harper, 1988), Bently & Egg (HarperCollins, 1992), and Santa Calls (HarperCollins, 1993). Joyce is the recipient of three Emmy awards for his Rolie Polie Olie animated television series and has developed character concepts for Toy Story and A Bug’s Life. His films include Robots and Meet the Robinsons, and he’s currently co-directing Rise of the Guardians and producing The Leaf Men, based on his picture book. The first book in Joyce’s Guardian of Childhood series debuts this fall from Atheneum with Man in the Moon.
Siva Vaidhyanathan, professor of media studies and law at the University of Virginia, speaks Saturday, June 25, from 3:30 to 4:30 p.m. He is the author of Copyrights and Copywrongs: The Rise of Intellectual Property and How It Threatens Creativity (New York University, 2001) and The Anarchist in the Library: How the Clash between Freedom and Control is Hacking the Real World and Crashing the System (Basic Books, 2004). In his newest book, The Googlization of Everything (And Why We Should Worry) (University of California, 2011), Vaidhyanathan examines the ways we have used and embraced Google—and the growing resistance to its expansion across the globe.
A presentation by Daniel Ellsberg, the man the Nixon administration dubbed “the most dangerous man in America,” takes place Sunday, June 26 from 8 to 9:15 a.m. He is the former U.S. military analyst who, while employed by the RAND Corporation, precipitated a national political controversy in 1971 when he released the Pentagon Papers, a top-secret Pentagon study of U.S. government decision-making about the Vietnam War, to the New York Times and other newspapers. This is the 40th anniversary of Ellsberg’s going into hiding to avoid arrest by the FBI while disseminating the Pentagon Papers to the major news media. The full-length 2009 Oscar-nominated documentary The Most Dangerous Man in America: Daniel Ellsberg and the Pentagon Papers, is part of the “Now Showing @ ALA Film Program” (see other scheduled films below) and will be screened for conference registrants Saturday, June 25 at 6 p.m. A panel discussion is planned at the conclusion of the film, time permitting.
Brooke Gladstone, co-host and managing editor of NPR’s award-winning On The Media, will give a talk Sunday, June 26, from 10:30 to 11:30 a.m. A former senior editor at Weekend Edition and All Things Considered, Gladstone received a Peabody Award, two Murrow Awards, and the National Press Club’s press criticism award, and was the recipient of a Peabody and a Knight Fellowship at Stanford University. Her first book, The Influencing Machine, was scheduled for publication by W. W. Norton and Company in May.
ALA’s Public Library Association (PLA) and PLA President Audra Caplan welcome writer-producer David Simon and mystery author Laura Lippman as keynote speakers Sunday, June 26, from 1 to 2:30 p.m., part of the Auditorium Speakers Series. Simon and Lippman, husband and wife, bring a dynamic energy and urban perspective to the stage. Their Baltimore origins inspire their work—Simon as writer and producer of the award-winning shows Homicide and The Wire, and Lippman as the bestselling author of mysteries featuring Baltimore P.I. Tess Monaghan and books What the Dead Know (Morrow, 2007) and Life Sentences (Morrow, 2009). Simon also brings unique insight on the conference host city, New Orleans, from his current work on the TV drama Treme.
C. J. Cherryh, multiple award–winning author of more than 30 novels, and Brandon Sanderson, New York Times bestselling author of The Hero of Ages (Tor, 2008) and Warbreaker (Tor, 2009), comprise the Science Fiction/Fantasy Panel, Monday, June 27, from 10:30 to 11:30 p.m. Cherryh’s novels, including Tripoint (Warner, 1994) and The Pride of Chanur (DAW, 1981), are famous for their knife-edge suspense and complex, realistic characters. She won the John W. Campbell Award for Best New Writer in 1977, and Hugo Awards for her short story “Cassandra” in 1979 and novels Downbelow Station (DAW, 1981) in 1982 and Cyteen (Warner, 1988) in 1989. Sanderson is in the process of completing Robert Jordan’s bestselling Wheel of Time series with A Memory of Light.
Jeff Jarvis, author of What Would Google Do? (Collins Business, 2009), is the final Auditorium Series speaker Monday, June 27, from 1 to 2 p.m. He blogs about media and news at Buzzmachine.com and is associate professor and director of the Interactive Journalism Program and the New Business Models for News project at the City University of New York’s Graduate School of Journalism. Jarvis is also consulting editor and a partner at Daylife, a news startup companyW. Jarvis writes a new media column for The Guardian and is host of its Media Talk USA podcast.
Division presidents shine
In addition to the PLA President’s Program with David Simon and Laura Lippman, part of the Auditorium Speakers Series, the following programs are being hosted by division leaders.
American Association of School Librarians (AASL)—Nancy Everhart: “Life is What You Make It—Seize the Day!” with Sally Karioth. Some public speakers make you laugh. Some speakers make you cry. Some speakers make you look at life differently. Karioth makes listeners do all three. An expert on grief, loss, and trauma, following Hurricane Katrina, First Lady Laura Bush asked her to help in restocking books for children that dealt with responses to trauma and loss. Saturday, June 25, from 10:30 a.m. to noon.
Association of College and Research Libraries—Lisa Hinchliffe: “From Idea to Innovation to Implementation: How Teams Make it Happen,” with Jason Young, author of Culturetopia: The Ultimate High-Performance Workplace (BetterWay, 2008) and president of LeadSmart. Young will share his perspectives on the importance of identifying and developing the essential factors that impact performance for any team or organization: leadership principles, management practices, alignment, and employee behavior. Saturday, June 25, from 10:30 a.m. to noon.
Association of Library Collections and Technical Services—Cynthia Marie Whitacre: “Economic Reflections on Libraries,” with Paul Courant, university librarian and dean of libraries, Harold T. Shapiro Collegiate Professor of Public Policy, Arthur F. Thurnau Professor, professor of economics, and professor of information at the University of Michigan. His most recent academic work has considered the economics of universities, the economics of libraries and archives, and the effects of new information technologies and other disruptions on scholarship, scholarly publication, and academic libraries. Monday, June 27, from 10:30 a.m. to noon.
Association for Library Service to Children (ALSC)—Julie Corsaro: “How Libraries Can Best Service Special Needs Patrons, Especially Those with Autism Spectrum Disorders,” with Dr. Ricki Robinson, a leader in developing multidisciplinary treatment plans for children with ASD and author of Autism Solutions (Harlequin, 2011). She will join authors Cynthia Lord and Francisco X. Stork, whose young adult novels have humanized these disorders, and Patricia Twarogowski, a librarian recognized for her effective programming for special needs children, in a panel discussion. Monday, June 27, from 8 to 10 a.m.
Join Association of Library Trustees, Advocates, Friends, and Foundations (ALTAFF) President Rod Gauvin as he hosts bestselling writer Marilyn Johnson, author of This Book is Overdue! How Librarians and Cybrarians Can Save Us All (Harper, 2010). Johnson has been a national champion of libraries and was the moving force behind ALTAFF’s Authors for Libraries, a group of authors who are willing and ready to speak out at the local and national levels about the importance of libraries. A book signing will follow. Monday, June 27, from 10:30 a.m. to noon.
Association of Specialized and Cooperative Library Agencies—Diana Reese: “E-books: The Conversation Continues.” Join the continuing conversation regarding the issues and solutions surrounding e-books with publishers, librarians, authors, vendors, and devicemakers. Sunday, June 26, from 10:30 a.m. to noon.
Library and Information Technology Association (LITA)—Karen Starr: “Building the Future: Addressing Library Broadband Connectivity Issues in the 21st Century,” with Robert Bocher of the Wisconsin State Library. The nation’s first National Broadband Plan, released in 2010, set a goal that community anchor institutions—including libraries, schools, and higher education institutions—have affordable access to at least 1Gbps connectivity. But 42% of public libraries have less-than-2Mbps connections, and many other libraries have broadband issues too. The President’s Program will explore the broadband landscape and how ALA is working with Internet 2 to address the broadband needs of libraries, schools, and higher education. Sunday, June 26, 4–5:30 p.m.
Library and Leadership Management Association—Gail Kennedy will host Tim Duggan, landscape architect, American Society of Landscape Architects, Saturday, June 25, from 8 to 10 a.m. He is developing the Sustainable Landscapes program for the Make it Right Foundation based in New Orleans, a pro-bono initiative to bring affordable, green, storm-resistant homes to 150 lower 9th Ward families.
Reference and User Services Association (RUSA)—Barry Trott: “Marketing Reference on a Dime.” The program will consist of five to six brief presentations on successful initiatives for marketing reference services, followed by questions and table discussions. Panelists will include representatives from public, academic, and special libraries, as well as a marketing professional from the private sector. At the end of the program, participants should come away with at least one idea for a free or inexpensive marketing initiative. Saturday, June 25, from 1:30 to 3:30 p.m.
Young Adult Library Services Association (YALSA)—Kim Patton: YALSA Membership Meeting/President’s Program: President Patton’s theme for the year is “Think Big.” The session, featuring authors Paul Volponi and Richard Peck, will challenge you to think big about your library programs and provide ideas for rethinking how you serve teens in order to keep programs relevant in these rapidly changing times. Monday, June 27, from 1:30 to 3:30 p.m.
Programs aplenty
In addition to the programs mentioned above, Annual Conference offers a wealth of opportunities to satisfy multiple interests. To help librarians who present cultural and community programs and events decide what to attend, ALA’s Public Programs Office has launched a new online resource, the Programming Librarian’s Guide to Annual Conference. It features a conference calendar and consolidated listings of programs and events as a one-stop resource to help programming librarians get the most of their conference experience. The project is funded by a grant from the Institute of Museum and Library Service (IMLS).
A sampling of programs includes:
“Effective Library Services for Older Adults Seeking Employment and Volunteer Opportunities” will be held Friday, June 24, from 8 a.m. to noon. The program will explore the many different ways that libraries are serving older adults in their communities, particularly as they search for employment and volunteer opportunities. Speakers include: Susan Hildreth, director, IMLS; Carol Crecy, director, Center for Communications and Consumer Affairs, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Administration on Aging; Emily Allen, vice president, Impact Programs, AARP Foundation; Betty M. Ruth, president, National Association of RSVP Directors; Mary Boone, North Carolina state librarian; Lorraine Borowski, director, Decorah (Iowa) Public Library; Barbara Mates, author, 5 Star Programming for Your 55+ Library Consumers (ALA Editions, 2003); and Satia Orange, former director, ALA Office of Literacy and Outreach Services.
ALTAFF will host “Celebrating Southern Writers” Saturday, June 25, from 1:30 to 3:30 p.m., with Kevin Wilson, author of The Family Fang (Ecco, 2011); John Hart, whose books have been translated into 26 languages and published in more than 30 countries; Kathleen Kent, author of The Heretic’s Daughter (Little, Brown, 2008); Jennifer Niven, author of Velva Jean Learns to Drive (Plume, 2009); Tayari Jones, author of Leaving Atlanta (Warner, 2002); and Pat MacEnulty, author of Wait Until Tomorrow: A Daughter’s Memoir (Feminist Press, 2011).
“Tales from the Heart: Literary Memoirs” Saturday, June 25 from 4 to 5:30 p.m., with Wendy McClure, author of The Wilder Life: My Adventures in the Lost World of Little House on the Prairie (Riverhead, 2011); Margaux Fragoso, author of Tiger, Tiger (Farrar, 2011); Theresa Weir, a USA Today bestselling author of 19 novels; Brianna Karp, author of The Girl’s Guide to Homelessness: A Memoir (Harlequin, 2011); and Rachel Hadas, author of Strange Relation: A Memoir of Marriage, Dementia, and Poetry (Paul Dry, 2011). The program is hosted by ALTAFF.
The annual Literary Tastes Breakfast Sunday, June 26 from 8 to 10 a.m., will feature Guy Gavriel Kay, author of Under Heaven (Roc, 2010), and Judith Shulevitz, author of The Sabbath World: Glimpses of a Different Order of Time (Random, 2010). The event is hosted by RUSA’s Collection Development and Evaluation Section. Tickets start at $50 for RUSA members.
“Mystery and Horror @ your library,” hosted by ALTAFF, takes place Sunday, June 26, from 10:30 a.m. to noon, featuring C. S. Harris, pseudonym for bestselling author Candice Proctor; Erica Spindler, a New York Times bestselling author; Bill Loehfelm, author of Fresh Kills (Putnam’s, 2008); S. J. Watson, author of Before I Go to Sleep (Harper, 2011); and Cammie McGovern, who was a Stegner Fellow at Stanford University.
James K. Bartleman, former lieutenant governor of Ontario, Canada, and author of the recently published young adult novel As Long as the Rivers Flow (Knopf Canada, 2011), will join the Committee on Rural, Native, and Tribal Libraries of All Kinds for “Raisin’ Readers: Improving Literacy for Rural Children and Youth,” Sunday, June 26 from 1:30 to 3:30 p.m. A diplomat, author, literacy advocate, and member of the Mnjikaning First Nation, Bartleman will reflect on his extensive experiences, including initiating the Lieutenant Governor’s Book Program in 2004, which collected over 1.2 million books to stock school libraries in First Nations communities, launching a program pairing Native and non-Native schools in Ontario and Nunavut, and setting up literacy camps in five northern First Nations communities. He will read from his novel. The program is cosponsored by the Committee on Literacy.
ALTAFF’s “First Author, First Book,” Sunday, June 26, from 1:30 to 3:30 p.m., will include Bob Graham, former governor of Florida, who served 18 years in the U.S. Senate; Rebecca Makkai, author of The Borrower (Viking, 2011); Jon Michaud, head librarian at The New Yorker and author of When Tito Loved Clara (Algonquin, 2011); Ellen Bryson, author of The Transformation of Bartholomew Fortuno (Holt, 2010); Eleanor Henderson, author of Ten Thousand Saints (Ecco, 2011); and Neil Abramson, a partner in a Manhattan law firm and author of Unsaid (Center Street, 2011).
LITA’s “Top Technology Trends,” Sunday, June 26, from 1:30 to 3:00 p.m., will continue the division’s ongoing roundtable discussion about trends and advances in library technology by a panel of LITA technology experts. The panelists will describe changes and advances in technology that they see having an impact on the library world, and suggest what libraries might do to take advantage of these trends.
“Isn’t it Romantic?” Monday, June 27, from 8 to 10 a.m., hosted by ALTAFF, will feature Stephanie Laurens, whose novels set in Regency England have been published around the world; Robyn Carr, New York Times bestselling author of more than 40 novels; Julie James, author of A Lot Like Love (Berkley Sensation, 2011); Brenda Jackson, the first African-American romance writer to make the USA Today and New York Times bestseller lists for the series-romance genre, and Adrienne McDonnell, former children’s librarian and author of The Doctor and the Diva (Pamela Dorman, 2010).
ALA’s Diversity Council will host “Diversity Is Everyone’s Business: Sensitivities in the Workplace” Monday June 27, from 10:30 a.m. to noon, featuring several presenters discussing how they address sensitive issues in the workplace, from gender and sexuality, to hidden disabilities, to cultural sensitivities.
The New Members Round Table (NMRT) and the LeRoy C. Merritt Humanitarian Fund will host a joint “Reception for a Cause” Sunday June 26 from 7:30 to 10 p.m. at L’Entrepot Gallery, 527 Julia, in the Gallery District. Refreshments will be provided. NMRT will present the Shirley Olofson Memorial Award and 3M/NMRT Professional Development Grant recipients.
AASL will celebrate members’ accomplishments and enjoy lunch at the 2011 AASL Awards Luncheon, with New York Times bestselling author Lauren Myracle as the luncheon speaker, Monday, June 27 from noon to 2 p.m. The AASL President’s Reception immediately follows the ticketed luncheon.
ALTAFF’s “Gala Author Tea” Monday, June 27, from 2 to 4 p.m., will feature Nevada Barr, best known for her award-winning mystery series featuring Anna Pigeon; Eleanor Brown, author of the bestselling Weird Sisters (Amy Einhorn Books/Putnam’s Sons, 2011); Dorothea Benton Frank, a New York Times bestselling author; and Susan Wiggs and Elizabeth Wiggs Mass, a mother-daughter pair who wrote How I Planned Your Wedding: The All-True Story of a Mother and Daughter Surviving the Happiest Day of Their Lives (Harlequin, 2010). Also participating will be bestselling thriller author Karin Slaughter, who will discuss the importance of libraries and her “Save the Libraries” campaign.
Attendees will enjoy tea, finger sandwiches, and a variety of sweet treats. A book signing will follow, with some books given away free and others available for purchase at a generous discount. This event is sponsored by ReferenceUSA, which will provide all attendees with a complimentary tote bag. Advance tickets cost $49 ($45 for ALTAFF members). Onsite tickets are $55, if seats are available.
For the fun of it
A number of celebratory events, some of which are ticketed, will be held, including gala division and round table meal events featuring ALA’s youth media award winners. These include the Newbery-Caldecott-Wilder Banquet, hosted by ALSC, and the Coretta Scott King Awards Breakfast, hosted by the Ethnic and Multicultural Information Exchange Round Table’s Coretta Scott King Book Awards Committee. Consult the conference program for specific dates and times. Tickets, if available, can be purchased in the Registration Area.
“Many Voices, One Nation” moves this year to Saturday, June 25 from noon to 1:30 p.m., bringing together writers and artists from different perspectives while presenting a program of spoken word, music, and performance art that celebrates the many unique cultures sharing one world. The program is free to conference attendees. Light refreshments will be served and celebration attendees are encouraged to bring their lunch.
The ALA/Proquest Scholarship Bash takes place Saturday, June 25, from 8 to 10 p.m. at the National World War II Museum. Renowned historian, author, and educator Stephen Ambrose founded the National World War II Museum Foundation in New Orleans in 1991. The museum opened June 6, 2000, and is the only museum in the United States that addresses all of the amphibious invasions, or “D-Days,” of World War II, honoring the more than 16 million Americans who took part in this global conflict. The event is open to ALA ticketholders only. Tax-deductible tickets are $35 and include food, entertainment, and admission. Visit the Registration Area to check on availability.
Bookmobile Sunday will be held in three parts on June 26 from 10:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Learn about the issues, technologies, and best practices that are shaping today’s bookmobiles from experts in the field at “Bookmobiles 101” (10:30 a.m.–noon), attend an author lunch with Margriet Ruurs (12:30–1:30 p.m) award-winning author of several children’s books, including My Librarian Is a Camel: How Books Are Brought to Children Around the World (Boyd Mills Press, 2005), and climb aboard one of the newest vehicles during the Annual Parade of Bookmobiles (1:30–3:30 p.m.). Luncheon tickets are $25 and can be purchased in the Registration area, if available.
The Seventh Annual Book Cart Drill Team World Championships will rock the halls Sunday, June 26, from 4 to 5:30 p.m.
Comedian, writer, and ALTAFF national spokesperson Paula Poundstone will headline “The Laugh’s on Us!” featuring top comedians and authors, Sunday, June 26, from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. Joining Poundstone will be Andy Borowitz, creator of the satirical website The Borowitz Report; Jill Kargman, who has written for Vogue, Elle, and Town & Country; and Leila Sales, author of the forthcoming YA book Past Perfect (Simon Pulse 2011). Wine and cheese will be served, and a book signing will follow. Some books will be given away free and others available for purchase at a discounted price. Advance tickets are $49 ($45 for ALTAFF members). Onsite tickets will be $55, if available.
The ALA Awards Ceremony and Inaugural Banquet takes place Tuesday, June 26, from 5:30 p.m. to midnight. All ALA recognition awards will be presented at a free special awards ceremony from 5:30 p.m. to 7 p.m., immediately preceding the Inaugural Banquet, a ticketed event. The banquet celebrates the inauguration of Molly Raphael as she assumes the role of ALA president. Dinner and entertainment will round out the evening. Tickets to the banquet are $89 per person.
Grab the popcorn
The Now Showing @ ALA Film Program takes place Friday, June 24, through Monday, June 27. The following films were on the marquee as of mid-May:
Mine (2009) is a documentary about the essential bond between humans and animals, set against the backdrop of one of the worst natural disasters in modern U.S. history: Hurricane Katrina. The character-driven story follows New Orleans residents as they attempt the daunting task of trying to reunite with their pets, who have been adopted by families all over the country, and chronicles the custody battles that arise when two families love the same pet. A compelling meditation on race, class, and the power of compassion, Mine examines how we treat animals as an extension of how we view and treat each other. Friday, June 24, 8 p.m.
Dance your cares away with a selection of episodes from Jim Henson’s classic 1980s television series Fraggle Rock. Follow the adventures of Red, Gobo, Wembley, Mokey, and Boober as they play, laugh, sing, and learn valuable life lessons at the same time. Be sure to stop by the Archaia Entertainment booth (#1654) for free copies of Fraggle Rock comics and discounted copies of Fraggle Rock graphic novels. Saturday, June 25, noon.
ALSC presents the documentary film Library of the Early Mind (2010), an exploration of the art and impact of children’s literature on our kids, our culture, and ourselves. It features nearly 40 prominent authors and illustrators talking about their work, its genesis, and its impact. The number of books in print by the authors in Library of the Early Mind exceeds 240 million. A panel discussion with film producer Ted Delaney will follow the showing. Saturday, June 25, 8 p.m.
This 2001–2002 television-series adaptation of the Top Cow comic book Witchblade is the story of New York detective Sara “Pez” Pezzini, whose search for justice brings her into contact with the Witchblade, an ancient, intelligent, living weapon so powerful it can battle Earth’s darkest evil forces. Sunday, June 26, noon.
During slavery, Faubourg Tremé was home to the largest community of free black people in the Deep South and a hotbed of political ferment. Here black and white, free and enslaved, rich and poor cohabitated, collaborated, and clashed to create much of what defines New Orleans culture up to the present day. In so many ways its story, as portrayed in the film Faubourg Tremé: The Untold Story of Black New Orleans (2008), reflects the tortuous path taken by African-American history over the centuries. The film received the Award of Commendation from the Society for Visual Anthropology and the Peter C. Rollins Award for Best Documentary from the Popular Culture Association/American Culture Association. Sunday, June 26, 2:30 p.m.
Visit the world of Thra with a screening of the classic 1982 film The Dark Crystal to raise awareness about the upcoming three-volume collection of all-new, original Dark Crystal graphic novels. The first volume, slated for release this November, is set 1,000 years before the events of the film and will feature a cover, story, and art direction by the legendary Brian Froud, the original concept designer of the film. Stop by the Archaia Entertainment booth (#1654) for free Dark Crystal graphic novel promotional posters while they last. Sunday, June 26, 5:30 p.m.
ALA’s Social Responsibilities Round Table’s Feminist Task Force and Women Make Movies present Pink Saris (2010) by director Kim Longinotto, an unflinching and often amusing look at a group of unlikely political activists in India and their charismatic leader. It features Sampat, who launches herself into the center of family dramas, witnessed by scores of spectators. Sunday, June 26, 8 p.m.
Comic Book Literacy (2010) is a documentary showcasing comic books as a way to inspire a passion for reading in both children and adults. From the immigrant who learns English by reading Superman comics to the child who develops a love of literature from the X-Men, comics have kept America reading for decades with fantastic tales, well-structured stories, and amazing fantasies. Monday, June 27, noon.
Consult the final program book for room locations. Updates will also be available via the show daily Cognotes.
Need a job, get a job
The ALA JobLIST Placement Center, provided by the Office for Human Resource Development and Recruitment, will be open Saturday, June 25, and Sunday, June 26, from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Orientation takes place Saturday, June 25, at 8:30 a.m.
All services and career workshops are free to job seekers, who should register and search for jobs on JobLIST. Registration is not required but is recommended, and will give employers access to your résumé information. Placement workshops and recruiters who will be at conference will be listed on the Career Resources pages of JobLIST.
Employers who want to post positions should post them on JobLIST. Employers who want to use the interviewing facilities or review résumés must have an active ad on JobLIST. Employers who want a booth in the Placement Center should contact Beatrice Calvin at bcalvin@ala.org or 800-545-2433, ext. 4280.
Business/financial meetings
The following is the schedule for ALA’s business and financial meetings, including the Executive Board; Council; Budget, Analysis, and Review Committee (BARC); and the ALA–Allied Professional Association (ALA-APA):
FRIDAY, JUNE 24
- Executive Board I, 8:30 a.m.–noon
- BARC, noon–3:30 p.m.
SATURDAY, JUNE 25
- Membership Meeting, 3:30–5 p.m.
SUNDAY, JUNE 26
- Council/Executive Board/Membership Information Session, 9–10 a.m.
- ALA–APA Council, 10–10:30 a.m.
- Council I, 10:45 a.m.–12:15 p.m.
MONDAY, JUNE 27
- Council II, 9:15 a.m.–12:45 p.m.
- Executive Board II, 1:30–3;30 p.m.
TUESDAY, JUNE 28
- Council III, 8 a.m.–12:30 p.m.
- Executive Board III, 1–5:30 p.m.
Virtual Conference
Attend Annual Conference right from your personal computer during ALA’s Virtual Conference, a full series of 11 interactive web sessions on Wednesday, July 13, and Thursday, July 14, after the 2011 Annual Conference in New Orleans. The conference will begin at 11 a.m. EST/8 a.m. PST each day and end at 5 p.m. EST/2 p.m. PST.
Interact with speakers and other attendees during each of these hour-long sessions on a variety of exciting topics. Each day will start with a keynote speaker and include various sessions plus an optional author lunch. All sessions will be one hour in length, with the exception of the author lunch, which will be 30 minutes followed by 30 minutes of down time for the attendees.
Attend individually or with a group for a great bargains in continuing education. The cost is $60 for individuals and $300 for up to 15 IP addresses to share among employees, branches, or departments. For more information, contact Alicia Babock at ababcock@ala.org or 312-280-3229.
