This may be about the 4th ALA I have attended here in New Orleans. However, something was so very different about this one. It took me a while to figure it out, then it hit me, it was the loud noise and over abundance of people stumbling all around. My hotel was too much in... more ›
This conference, for me, was about meetings meetings meetings. At this point, even though I’m still here tomorrow, I only have meetings left to go. I didn’t get to attend many of the types of sessions that I’ve attended on and blogged about in the past. So in thinking about how I wanted to report... more ›
On Saturday I had the pleasure of coordinating a panel on cloud computing “Updates to cloud computing for library services” that built on the session from last year. This year we had speakers from a wide range of areas talk about cloud computing in the 2 hour session. Chris Tonjes from DC Public Library talked... more ›
Dan Savage: Opening General Session Keynote Speaker This is my fourth trip to New Orleans, and the first one in the past three where I didn’t arrive by bus! However, it is my first ALA here and that really makes for a different experience. The city is back to bustling, and you add in several... more ›
Dan Savage: Opening Keynote Dan Savage gave an inspirational keynote speech in which he described the necessity and motivation behind his It Gets Better Project. After a rash of teen suicides last year that were the result of teens being bullied for their presumed sexual orientation, Dan and his partner, (“husband in Canada, boyfriend in... more ›
Although the weather was hot and sweltering in DC during ALA, I still had a great time attending informative sessions on cataloging and metadata, going to socials, catching up with friends, and hanging out with Susan and Erik. I was one of the five who rode up and back in the library’s new van. After... more ›
It’s not often that you go to a conference and have a major realization about the need to re-organize how you do your work and how your library functions, but I did at this year’s ALA. Through the course of several sessions on RDA, the new cataloging code that is slated to replace AACR2, I... more ›
This was my first ALA Annual. As I prepared for the conference, I was amazed (and a little disconcerted) at the amount of relevant programming. Every slot seemed to have multiple programs that looked good; one time slot had at least 6 programs of interest. Plus I knew I needed time to visit the vendor... more ›
The iPad with 3G is an amazing productivity tool at a conference! Quick intros from Barry and JP were extremely helpful in getting me started — thanks, guys! The 3G was absolutely key, because wifi in the convention center was spotty and the added mobility created opportunities. For example, I showed info to a new... more ›
After completing my project as a 2009 Emerging Leader (updating the wiki and resources of the Joint Committee on Archives, Libraries, and Museums, also known as CALM) I was nominated to join the Emerging Leaders subcommittee, which is a big reason why I participated in ALA Annual 2010. On Friday, June 25, I attended the... more ›