Inspired by this discovery, and disturbed by the anti-immigrant tone of the 2016 election, Eggers first penned an editorial for The Guardian. Then he turned the idea into his latest children’s book, Her Right Foot, illustrated by Shawn Harris. Eggers spoke about the book with librarian Sandra Farag, youth materials selector for New York Public Library and … Continue reading Dave Eggers on Embracing “Radical Welcome”
Featured Speakers Opening Session Friday, February 9, 4–5:15 p.m. Marley Dias, who started the #1000blackgirlbooks campaign as a 6th grader, will have a conversation with Patrisse Cullors, artist and cofounder of the Black Lives Matter movement, to reveal the determining factors and mindsets that motivated each of them to take action and how different generations … Continue reading 2018 Midwinter Preview
Teens and tots At the Opening General Session, Girls Who Code founder Reshma Saujani kicked things off with a few startling statistics: Last year, the United States graduated 40,000 computer science majors for 500,000 open jobs. Only one in four American high schools offer computer science as part of the curriculum. And today, only 18% … Continue reading 2017 Annual Conference Wrap-Up
An estimated 3,200 conferencegoers arrived well before the 10 a.m. Closing General Session at the American Library Association (ALA) Annual Conference and Exhibition on Tuesday to hear the former First Lady and 2016 Democratic presidential nominee speak. When Clinton stepped out to a standing ovation, she said that she told ALA President Julie B. Todaro … Continue reading Hillary Clinton Delivers Powerful Talk
At age 10, Uwiringiyimana witnessed the murder of her younger sister, several family members, and scores of others at the hands of rebels who mercilessly slaughtered 166 refugees living in a camp in Gatumba, Burundi. Thirteen years later, she’s chronicled that night and its continued effect on her life in the book How Dare the … Continue reading How Dare the Sun Rise
Returning to McCormick Place—and ALA’s hometown—after four years, Annual will offer a host of professional development opportunities, new ideas to help shape the future of libraries, a full slate of author programs and fascinating speakers, and a variety of special events and other activities. This preview offers a small sample of what to expect. Click … Continue reading 2017 ALA Annual Conference Preview
Use the Annual Conference Scheduler to start planning. Speakers who inspire Reshma Saujani, founder and CEO of Girls Who Code, a national nonprofit working to close the gender gap in technology, will be the featured speaker at the Opening General Session (June 23). ALA President Julie B. Todaro welcomes actor, producer, designer, and library and literacy … Continue reading 2017 ALA Annual Conference Must-Dos
Neil Patrick Harris, before a packed auditorium at the Closing Session of the American Library Association’s 2017 Midwinter Meeting & Exhibits on Monday, joked that his name was the next to be added to a list of illustrious and prolific children’s book series authors. The award-winning actor, host, and magician talked about the inspiration behind … Continue reading A Not-Unfortunate Ending
Gordon-Reed and her co-author, Peter Onuf, Thomas Jefferson Memorial Foundation Professor Emeritus at the University of Virginia, each focused on different aspects of Jefferson’s life as they worked together to produce this volume. Gordon-Reed focused on slavery at Monticello and politics, while Onuf covered more social aspects. “We tried to blend together so that we … Continue reading What’s Left To Say about Thomas Jefferson? Everything.
W. Kamau Bell exclaimed that phrase often during his Opening Session talk at the 2017 ALA Midwinter Meeting in Atlanta. His candor was necessary. The stand-up comic and host of the CNN program The United Shades of America and the Politically Re-Active and Denzel Washington Is the Greatest Actor of All Time Period podcasts was … Continue reading Building Strength Through Laughter
We’ve heard that Bridge to Terabithia is one of your favorite books. That can be an emotionally difficult read, given its tragic ending. Has becoming a father changed the way you approach children’s literature? Oh, absolutely. It’s important to us that our children not only read but understand the morals and messages behind the words. … Continue reading Newsmaker: Neil Patrick Harris
Find your tribe. That’s what teen author, speaker, and trans rights activist Jazz Jennings, at the onset of her Auditorium Speaker Series session at the American Library Association’s Annual Conference and Exhibition on Monday, encouraged those in the LGBTQ community who do not have the support of their families to do.
