Well the AM entry is going to be a bit short, since a program schedule change created another “plan b” opportunity, and that “plan b” ended up being some extra sleep before heading in the for the 10:30 sessionS. There was an added benefit to this plan, a great breakfast at a place called Moose and Sadies. There are advantages to staying in a hotel that is a bit off the beaten track, and one of those is discovering little resturants and stores that one just happens on while commuting to and from the conference.

I got in early enough, just the same to make another quick run through the exhibit hall. I heartily recommend many trips to the exhibit hall. You almost always see something there you didn’t see the last time you went through. I made a few more stops and I’m happy to say the level of politness I experienced the first day hasn’t dropped on bit.

Then it was off to the 10:30 session, “When the Story is True: Practicing Nonfiction Readers’ Advisory”, presented by Barry Trott and Kaite Mediatore Stover. And again, it was a treat. In part it was because this is a subject I’m trying myself to get a handle on, so it never hurts to hear what the experts are talking about. But in part I think there is also a pleasure in putting faces and voices to the names of those people whose articles and books have been providing me the bulk of my RA training. I know that now, when I read those current and futures writings, I will be seeing them and hearing their voices. Gee, I hope that doesn’t scare them.

Unfortuntely some of the fun was lost as I began to experince that infamous phenomena that I call “meetingroom buttitis.” You can only sit in a meeting room chair for so many hours before the level of discomfort makes it difficult to concentrate on what’s going on up front. This is a universal problem with conference centers and meetings room, and I guess the Minneapolis Convention Center can be proud that it took over two days for it to set in for me. Okay, that’s a bit of a backhanded compliment, but it is sincere.

With the long break before the afternnon sessions, I decide I really needed to walk down and take a look at the Minneapolis Public Library downtown. What a beautiful building. I love the openness of it and, at least after an initial walk through, it seems very well layed out. Okay, so I’m feeling a little jealous now (especially when I saw all the patron internet computers). I hope the citizens of the Minneapolis are proud of thier new library; it is a wonderful place.

I will have to say I had a very surreal moment while I was there. As I sat at one of the tables overlooking the inner atrium I saw my library director walk by, a scene that is not at all rare during my usual day at work. For one brief moment, I felt like I was at my library. Then I noticed the snow outside. Nope, not my library.

Time for some food and then the final two programs of the day: “Rx for RA” and “What’s Love Got to Do with it.” Yup, it’s RA, all day, for this conference attendee.