ALA Edition - Monday!

How the deuce did we hit Monday already?!?! Egads!

Saturday
After the boost of that amazing Friday pre-conference, I hit the ground running with my ALSC "process" work as a member of the ALSC board. First up was our ALSC division leadership meeting. We focused on mentoring and looked at the ALA Connect's mentoring module. It's pretty slick and a great way to mentor or be mentored. Then off to our ALSC board meeting for the rest of the afternoon.

We discussed a number of issues that alternated between housekeeping and exciting new ideas.  Of particular interest to me is an opening discussion of the possibility of creating a designated board position especially for newer members of ALSC to create leadership opportunities for younger members.  I feel strongly that we ask our emerging young leaders to wait too long to before they can gain a place at the policy making table of ALSC.  It is difficult when they are on a nominating slate to overcome the name recognition of members who have long served the organization.  I have seen a few members serve more than one term on the board and I ask myslef if it is really true that our 4,000 member strong division, with 700 active committee members really doesn't have enough qualified leaders to run for board that we  ask some people to serve more than once on the board level.  It will be interesting to see if only a few people are interested in this change or if there is broader support in an idea like this that would require a bylaw change approved by the wider membership.

Sunday
The is All-Committee Meeting day. We board members try to visit and touch base with as many ALSC committees that are meeting simultaneously as possible. We listen, share news, advise and thank our hard working committee members.  From there, I had luncheon with Scholastic and was treated to some delightful readings by authors of their new works.   They all sounded great and I look forward to reading the books and sharing them with staffers and eventually with children as prizes at our programs. There was time to visit the exhibits for an hour or so, check out the new children's books coming for fall, pick up a few advanced reader's copies. Then a stop at the Book Cart Drill Team Championships for wacky cray fun as Jon Sciescka and MoWillems emcee the hilarity. The winners this year -  decked out as skeletons - did a LOL Dance Macabre that simply had to be seen to be believed. Then back to the apartment to get ready for the Newbery Caldecott banquet.

The banquet is always a highlight.  This year I just attended the speeches which is one of my favorite ways to enjoy the evening. After dinner with friends, I nestled into a great seat in the peanut gallery and got ready for the festivities. I was so pleased to share the celebration with Jerry Pinkney as he received the Caldecott Award and loved Rebecca Stead's speech as Newbery winner.  After the speeches, I got to whisk Newbery honoree Grace Lin off to the receiving line where hundreds of well-wishers congratulated the winners and honorees.  Standing between Jackie Kelly's editor Laura Godwin and Grace made the evening fly by. It was tremendous seeing and hearing people giving props to these wonderful book creators!

Monday
Time to mail off the books and advanced readers copies to the library; catch the tail end of the ALSC President's program and enjoy the second round of awards for the Siebert; Batchelder; Geisel and professional awards. The highlights for me were the introduction of Claudette Colvin who accompanied Phillip Hoose as he accepted a Siebert honor for the book Claudette Colvin and Tanya Lee Stone accepting the Siebert award for Almost Astronauts.

Then the ALSC membership meeting; a quick lunch with a colleague; one last run through the exhibits to check out final book sales; one more stop at the post office; a quick bite to eat; a metro ride to the National Building Museum with 20 minutes to hit their bookstore before closing; a Metro ride back to catch Battledecks (TOO funny!); and a last stop at the ALSC Poetry Blast to listen to two poets share their work.

And now zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz.  Tomorrow is another big day!