Renewing Our Mission in New Orleans - Page 4

Association of Library Collections and Technical Services—Cynthia Marie Whitacre: “Economic Reflections on Libraries,” with Paul Courant, university librarian and dean of libraries, Harold T. Shapiro Collegiate Professor of Public Policy, Arthur F. Thurnau Professor, professor of economics, and professor of information at the University of Michigan. His most recent academic work has considered the economics of universities, the economics of libraries and archives, and the effects of new information technologies and other disruptions on scholarship, scholarly publication, and academic libraries. Monday, June 27, from 10:30 a.m. to noon.

Association for Library Service to Children (ALSC)—Julie Corsaro: “How Libraries Can Best Service Special Needs Patrons, Especially Those with Autism Spectrum Disorders,” with Dr. Ricki Robinson, a leader in developing multidisciplinary treatment plans for children with ASD and author of Autism Solutions (Harlequin, 2011). She will join authors Cynthia Lord and Francisco X. Stork, whose young adult novels have humanized these disorders, and Patricia Twarogowski, a librarian recognized for her effective programming for special needs children, in a panel discussion. Monday, June 27, from 8 to 10 a.m.

Join Association of Library Trustees, Advocates, Friends, and Foundations (ALTAFF) President Rod Gauvin as he hosts bestselling writer Marilyn Johnson, author of This Book is Overdue! How Librarians and Cybrarians Can Save Us All (Harper, 2010). Johnson has been a national champion of libraries and was the moving force behind ALTAFF’s Authors for Libraries, a group of authors who are willing and ready to speak out at the local and national levels about the importance of libraries. A book signing will follow. Monday, June 27, from 10:30 a.m. to noon.

Association of Specialized and Cooperative Library Agencies—Diana Reese: “E-books: The Conversation Continues.” Join the continuing conversation regarding the issues and solutions surrounding e-books with publishers, librarians, authors, vendors, and devicemakers. Sunday, June 26, from 10:30 a.m. to noon.

Library and Information Technology Association (LITA)—Karen Starr: “Building the Future: Addressing Library Broadband Connectivity Issues in the 21st Century,” with Robert Bocher of the Wisconsin State Library. The nation’s first National Broadband Plan, released in 2010, set a goal that community anchor institutions—including libraries, schools, and higher education institutions—have affordable access to at least 1Gbps connectivity. But 42% of public libraries have less-than-2Mbps connections, and many other libraries have broadband issues too. The President’s Program will explore the broadband landscape and how ALA is working with Internet 2 to address the broadband needs of libraries, schools, and higher education. Sunday, June 26, 4–5:30 p.m.

Library and Leadership Management Association—Gail Kennedy will host Tim Duggan, landscape architect, American Society of Landscape Architects, Saturday, June 25, from 8 to 10 a.m. He is developing the Sustainable Landscapes program for the Make it Right Foundation based in New Orleans, a pro-bono initiative to bring affordable, green, storm-resistant homes to 150 lower 9th Ward families.

Reference and User Services Association (RUSA)—Barry Trott: “Marketing Reference on a Dime.” The program will consist of five to six brief presentations on successful initiatives for marketing reference services, followed by questions and table discussions. Panelists will include representatives from public, academic, and special libraries, as well as a marketing professional from the private sector. At the end of the program, participants should come away with at least one idea for a free or inexpensive marketing initiative. Saturday, June 25, from 1:30 to 3:30 p.m.

Young Adult Library Services Association (YALSA)—Kim Patton: YALSA Membership Meeting/President’s Program: President Patton’s theme for the year is “Think Big.” The session, featuring authors Paul Volponi and Richard Peck, will challenge you to think big about your library programs and provide ideas for rethinking how you serve teens in order to keep programs relevant in these rapidly changing times. Monday, June 27, from 1:30 to 3:30 p.m.

Programs aplenty

In addition to the programs mentioned above, Annual Conference offers a wealth of opportunities to satisfy multiple interests. To help librarians who present cultural and community programs and events decide what to attend, ALA’s Public Programs Office has launched a new online resource, the Programming Librarian’s Guide to Annual Conference. It features a conference calendar and consolidated listings of programs and events as a one-stop resource to help programming librarians get the most of their conference experience. The project is funded by a grant from the Institute of Museum and Library Service (IMLS).

A sampling of programs includes: