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My day 2 at ALA began with my first ever committee meeting. I am on the Teaching, Learning and Technology committee of the Library Instruction Round Table. We had a good meeting and chose our next project. Plus it was really nice to put faces to names, as our committee gets most of its job done in virtual meetings.

Then it was on to an EBSCO Lunch at the Hilton. EBSCO reminded us all that when libraries are hurting, publishers for libraries hurt. They detailed their cost saving measures for the next year which DO NOT include decreasing coverage or tinkering with access. So they are cutting direct mail entirely, and have cut back on print advertising. They are also looking for overlaps among their products and trying to streamline that. They mentioned a couple of new products that may bear looking at as we look to cut, as we can get volume discounts with them. A new Art and Architecture Full-text database, a new full text Political Science one and full-text options on America History and Life and Historical Abstracts. I stopped by their booth later and chatted with our rep about getting more info.

Then I headed over to McCormick Place for the program put on by the Law and Political Science Section which I recently joined and have found a great group of people. Their program was on how libraries can get involved in fostering civic engagement. We need to move being a place where ideas live and are stored to a place where they can get discussed and get turned into action. Our POL faculty are very interested in this topic and the handout gave a great bibliography on the subject.The main point was that we are already seen as a ‘safe’ place in so many other arenas, that we should become that safe place for opposing views to come to the table and really work to solve social problems.

I then did a cursory tour through the exhibits (those who know me know I LOVE exhibit floors). Got some good info, made a few contacts, entered some prizes, got a book, found out about some online sources and marveled at how long librarians will stand in line for 1oz of champagne 😉