What I’m Doing at ALA Annual Conference | Loida Garcia-Febo

An ALA councilor shares her conference itinerary

June 27, 2013

Thursday, June 27
I flew in Thursday morning, and the rest of the day was dedicated to a Freedom to Read Foundation (FTRF) meeting, which analyzed access to information cases toward ensuring the legal defense of First Amendment rights. Right after, we were joined by many colleagues for refreshments at the FTRF Member Reception, from 5 to 6:30 p.m.

Friday, June 28
Friday is a day to review the ALA 2013 Virtual Membership Meeting and the ALA Membership Meeting with the Committee on Membership Meetings (COMM), which I chair. We’ve worked the entire year on logistics and content for both events. For lunch, I will grab fruits and healthy snacks from one of the kiosks at the convention center. That night, the Intellectual Freedom Round Table (IFRT) 40th Anniversary Reception will be a must-attend event at the historical Chicago Cultural Center. Reforma will be hosting a fundraiser gala for its foundation too, so I will be visiting both events.

Saturday, June 29
Saturday will be packed with International Relations meetings and the IFLA Update. I’ll go to APALA’s “What’s Your New Normal?” from 10:30 to 11:30 a.m. And then I’ll head to the Intellectual Freedom Committee Meeting early that afternoon. The Diversity and Outreach Fair and the ALA poster sessions will be going on. I’m looking forward to speaking at “Advances, Challenges, and Issues in Black and Latino Librarianship in America” sponsored by Reforma and BCALA. I’ll then attend the Merritt Fund Reception for a Cause event, from 6 to 8 p.m., which will raise money to provide assistance to librarians who face discrimination or who are denied employment because of their defense of intellectual freedom. The event is hosted by the LeRoy C. Merritt Humanitarian Fund for which I’ve led a committee to raise awareness. Later that evening, I may venture out to Greektown for dinner.

Sunday, June 30
Sunday will be the first meeting of the ALA Council. I’ll check Twitter updates to hear about Temple Grandin’s Auditorium Speaker appearance. The McCormick Place food court will come in handy to grab a salad on the go as I head to the ALA Planning and Budget Assembly Meeting, which I attend as COMM chair. The 2013 Pura Belpré Celebraciòn and AILA’s “Cherokee Language Technology” will take place that afternoon before the ALA President’s Program. CALA’s 40th Anniversary will take up the early evening, and the Council Forum will take up the other part.

Monday, July 1
Monday morning I’ll attend ALA Council II and “Together We Are Better: International Collaborations Supporting Information Access,” where I will be speaking about Information New Wave, the international nonprofit of which I’m the president. That evening I’ll meet global colleagues at the International Librarians Reception. On this day, I will scout the city for the best vegan pizza I can find.

Tuesday, July 2
Tuesday will start with an early breakfast near McCormick Place followed by ALA Council III at 7:45 a.m. Following that, I am looking forward to attending the presentation of ALA’s newly elected officers during the Inaugural Brunch. Afterward, I will take a cab to O’Hare and start my journey back to New York City.

LOIDA GARCIA-FEBO is president of Information New Wave, a Brooklyn-based nonprofit. She is an ALA councilor, the chair of ALA's Committee on Membership Meetings (COMM), and a member of the governing board of the International Federation of Library Associations (IFLA).

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