Conventions

Mar. 13-17, 2012. PLA is the Public Libraries Association.  More than 8,700 library staff, supporters, exhibitors, authors and others from across the country attended the PLA 2012 Conference in Philadelphia to discuss various issues that impact U.S. public libraries and their users. Intriguingly, this show launched a thing they called the Unconference—a participant-driven, organic approach to conference programming, with education and networking all wrapped into one. It was a chance to offer ideas, lead a discussion, and network with other attendees interested in common issues related to books and libraries. There were author lunches with the likes of Joyce Carol Oates, David Balducci and Ally Carter.  But you had to “book”…..

Mar. 04-07, 2012. Innovations 2012 is the premier event for professionals dedicated to improving organizational teaching and learning, and discovering new approaches for enhancing the community college experience. The conference provides a forum for collaboration among academic experts and leading community college professionals, while granting participants exclusive access to inventive and thought-provoking programs from around the world. Topics included Learning and Teaching, Leadership and Organization, Workforce Preparation and Development, Student Services and Activities, Resource Development and Foundation Management, Research, Assessment, and Accountability, and Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion.  So get organized…!

ACRL is the Association of College and Research Libraries, and it claims to be “peer-revered”, whatever that turns out to mean. Actually “peers” seem to be a big thing with this group, as in “ACRL 2011 features more than 300 thought-provoking sessions hand-selected by your peers. In today’s fast-paced and changing world, keeping current is more essential than ever”. You needed to be there to “access cutting-edge information, discover new ideas, and engage in conversations with academic and research librarians from around the world”. Not to mention finding new ways of getting people to return the damn books when they’re finished with them. You never imagined, did you, that people running libraries, of all things, would be making so much sheer noise about themselves…? Okay, all together now: Shhhhh!!!!