PLA Blog

Press credentials in hand, I headed down to the show floor (a.k.a. The Exhibits), which was still under construction, with Kathleen Hughes (Manager of PLA Publications and Editor of Public LIbraries magazine), to drop off booth stuff. John Chrastka was busy setting things up, and showed me the brand-new ALA libcast podcasting booth:

and I got to give it a whirl:

Hear all about it:

(if the player doesn’t appear, click here)

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.

I wasn’t planning on spending all my computer time at the convention center at the wireless location, and have found that the internet connectivity at the hotel (Doubletree Suites) is less than satisfactory.  I’m sitting in the lobby writing. Had to ask another laptop user which network she was using.  I love my little Apple and it generally connects without my even noticing.  Not here.My name is Melissa Malcolm. I have never blogged before but want to try it at the library so hope that this experience will help with that.    I’m a new library director in Gloucester, VA, which is on the “Middle Peninsula”.  It’s rural and beautiful and I love it.  I’m a bit discombobulated, though.  I woke up at 3 am yesterday for a very early flight.  Left my cell phone somewhere so got another one.  (We survived without cell phones at conferences years ago–could I do it again?  Didn’t even want to try.)  I’m walking around with a broken foot–don’t ask!–and have been  dozing since the walk to the public library yesterday.  Lying on my bed, but also through a program this afternoon. I wonder if anyone noticed?Last night I attended the FOLUSA author reception, which has become one of my favorite events at ALA and PLA conferences.   I have an autographed copy of a memoir (can’t remember the title–it’s up in the room) by a young Hmong woman.  Her brief talk was moving and enlightening.  Remember Garrison Keillor talking about the Hmong and Vietnamese young people in his library in St Paul?  The future of our country, I think he called them.My favorite program today was Susan Hill Pieper’s on library web pages.  I’ve heard her before and enjoy her common sense, her enthusiasm and her self-deprecating sense of humor.  I’ve seen web pages that are pretty and have little real content.  I prefer those that may not be the most sophisticated but that help library patrons find what they need to know.  Susan’s at Paulding County, Ohio is one of those.  The suggestion that I’m going to follow is to work on building a historical postcard collection.  Scan those cards and get them on the web.  Your genealogists and history buffs will love them.I’m enjoying my visits with the exhibitors too.  As my new library has an unfamiliar (to me) automation system and utilizes different methods of ordering materials, I’ve taken the time to look at the new (to me) products and procedures, and talk to former vendors and jobbers about setting up new accounts.  Not too soon, though.  I’ve seen a few pursed lips at suggestions I’ve made for changes in procedure and I don’t want to find out what they mean, exactly.Let’s hope that I have a better grip on this whole process tomorrow and can post without a struggle.    

I wasn’t expecting to update until this evening, as my schedule was pretty packed, but thanks to my unfortunate talent at writing down number incorrectly, I ended up showing up for a meeting that was actually held yesterday. And so go those fabled plans of mice and men (and people with poor date writing skills). Fortunately, having paid attention at the New Member Reception (thank you Madame President), I had a plan B, and ultimately it makes the whole day just a tiny bit less hectic.

My second day at PLA started early with a breakfast courtsey of H. W. Wilson. Along with some excellent food, I got a further look at the new products coming out Wilson this year. Even in my short 9 year career as a librarian it’s impressive to see these companies adapting to the changing times and especially impressive when it comes from a company celebrating it’s 110th year. And to cap off the morning, the Wilson team supllied me with one of those “ah ha” moments when they mentioned that their new CX designator was literaly the roman numerals for 110. Yes it is the simple things in life that make me happy.

After breakfast I got to attend my first PLA program, “Why Do We Dewey?” In a word, “fascinating” and it certainly left me with a lot of food for thought. I particularly like the way the TSCPL are taking a system already in use (Dewey) and finding ways to legitimately bend it to the more “modern” needs of their patrons. The concept of a browsable nonfiction section has recently been on the minds of many of my fellow librarians at work, and I’m happy now that I can provide them a concrete example of how one system is working to achieve that goal.

And speaking of my fellow workers, my next stop was to check in with some of them in the Placement Services room. Okay, shameless plug alert. If you’re interested in checking out what San Antonio Public Library has to offer in the way of jobs, stop by the booth in the Placement Services room (101 I-J).

Since I had about an hour before my next appointment, I made another run through the exhibit hall. I stopped at a variety of places, but in particular I had a very nice converstation with one of the people at Evergreen. I’m a big fan of Open Source and it’s great to see how these groups are coming along and how polished their products are looking.

After my 2nd tour of the exhibit hall it was time for lunch and yet again (are you detecting a trend here), I managed to combine business with pleasure by attending the Gale luncheon for their new Books and Authors database. It was big treat having a nice lunch, a polished presentation, and an amazing view (the luncheon was held on the 50th floor of the Marquette Hotel). Readers Advisory is kind of my thing and it has been exciting to see so many online developments in this field. From what I saw of Books and Authors, it will be a fine addition in the arsenal of tools that Readers’ Advisors can use.

After lunch, and thanks to my “date mistake” I managed to start this post, but did not actually manage to finished it. I was interrupted by the need to decend to the lower levels of the conference center in order to attend one of the first afternoon sessions. Originally I thought I would be attending something about taking online services to the next level, but the room I arrived at turned out to be the encore presentation of Technozoo. Not exactly what I was looking for, but great fun nonetheless. Mr. Souza was an energetic and amusing speaker and even though I consider myself quite the geek, even I saw some stuff that I wasn’t at all familar with. In additional, as is often the case with a topic you think you “know,” hearing it come from an admitted “non-librarian” gave me some pause for thought and raised some issues that hadn’t occurred to be before. A mixed blessing to be sure, but I don’t think I will ever complain about having new things to think about.

Down to one last session for the day. I’m off to Readers’ Advisory Took Kit III. I think I already know what I’m not going to like about it…the fact that I didn’t get to see RA Tool Kits I and II.

Wow.  I’m impressed!  I didn’t think I would be, but the keynote speaker at the opening session, John Wood, impressed the heck out of me.  He was a fantastic and engaging speaker, and with a cause like Room to Read under his belt, his presentation ended up being a truly brilliant 90 minutes.  And even though he was talking about a much grander goal; bringing literacy and books to developing nations, I couldn’t help but feel proud that I’m in a profession that does much the same thing, if on a slightly smaller scale.  I’m sure most of us who work with the public have had those moments where we realized that we have just provided a service that ended up being to that patron, more than just the simple answering of a question.  so John Wood’s experience and his ambitions helped to remind me why I stick with this sometimes frustrating job, and even why I can get all “advocatey” about public libraries.  One of the comments to my last post mentioned that they felt PLA was a way to “recharge” and I certainly felt that way today after the opening session.

And after that “opening” came the opening of the exhibit hall.  I took my time getting there – with a quick and very expensive stop a the ALA shop — and I was amazed as always at the wide variety of services and products that it takes to keep libraries running.  Naturally I saw tons of stuff that I could have spent hours drooling over, knowing full well that my library system would be hard pressed to afford any of it.  But one can always dream.  I think the furniture vendors are where I get that drooly feeling the most (despite being a geek).  Oh to be able to redesign a library with an unlimited budget!

Of course I had to make a stop at Baker and Taylor to get my picture taken with the cats.  Two harder working cats you’ll never meet (and trust me, I do know what I’m talking about).  a little more roaming burned up time pretty quickly, so I settled down to a quick demo of the Graphic Novel core collection product from H. W. Wilson and then finished up my first visit with a run through the publisher tables.  Still more to see, so rest assured, I will be back.

And here’s a completely unsolicited plug that I can’t resist adding.  Check out the book “He Said Beer, She Said Wine” at the DK booth.  I’ve had the pleasure to meet one of the authors of this book, and if you like either beer or wine (or, like me, both) you’ll find this book a real hoot.

Okay, one more aside.  Is it just me or are public librarians some of the most polite people you’ve ever met?  Is it because of our job or does the job just attract that type of person?  I can only say that being in a jam packed exhibit hall with hundreds of people moving about and still being surrounded by “thank you’s” and “excuse me’s” is just an amazing feeling.

Okay, back on track.  My final activities for my first day were short visits to the New Members Reception and also to a reception hosted by Overdrive.  Both were enchanting (except perhaps for the part where I ended up walking up 14 flights of stairs…but that’s a story for another time) but I must confess that even on the best of days I’m not really a “reception” person, and after a long day like today, I am even less so.  But I do understand that a large part of PLA is the networking and the efforts taken by the PLA committees and the vendors are appreciated even by those of us who are a little less social than most.  So maybe I’ll give the All Members Reception a go on Friday.  so if you see a San Antonio librarian/blogger there, doing a fair imitation of a wall flower, do come on over and say hello.  I promise I don’t bite.

 Tomorrow, the programs begin.  I am excited!