Anderson Cooper, the CNN reporter known for his emotional coverage of Hurricane Katrina and its aftermath, was the keynote speaker at Monday night’s PLA President’s Program, held at the Morial Convention Center during the ALA Annual Conference in New Orleans.

PLA President Dan Walters welcomed attendees, and after various announcements and the distribution of the annual PLA awards, introduced Anderson Cooper. Cooper took the stage and in rapid-fire patter detailed his early years as a reporter, his experiences around the world, and most pointedly his experiences in New Orleans immediately after the hurricane. Much of his hurricane reporting was done from the convention center and the audience (numbering nearly 1500) listened in rapt silence as he described (twice stopping to compose himself) what he saw there.

After his emotional talk, the host of “Anderson Cooper 360″ signed hundreds of copies of his book, “Dispatches from the Edge, A Memoir of War, Disasters, and Survival” for eager fans. Attendees then joined PLA for a gala reception featuring New Orleans style music and food. Pictures to come soon – check back!