Friday, April 3, 2015

If you are going to ALA this year -

ALA (the American Library Association's Summer Conference) is in San Francisco this June. Here's a mixture of things to do and see:

The price of the Newbery/ Caldecott banquet is high, but well worth it. Plus you take home a CD of the speeches. (dress up)  

Spend several days walking the Exhibits. (wear good walking shoes so you don't get blisters - it's huge. Carry a large bag for things you collect and wear casual clothes here, plus carry a sweater. Parts of the Exhibit area get very cold.) 

Be sure to visit the Children's publishing area several times because different people will be signing. Sometimes books are given out free and sometimes at a discount. Other goodies are available at the booths from chocolate to pens and pencils to really nice stuff.  

I papered my library and my child's room with posters from ALA. 

Go through the events catalogue (it's huge) and write down the times of signings and lectures and other events and only carry this list with you - to make sure you get to all of the things that interest you. 

Beware of anything that Mo Willems MCs - the audience is usually huge. (often I couldn't hear or see at these events.) 

Meet online friends for lunch or dinner.  
Have fun.  
Be sure to ride the cable car - you'll get a great tour of San Francisco that way.

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