Flipping through the pictures from my weekend in DC for ALA Annual might lead one to think I’d spent all my time watching PowerPoint presentations. I won’t bore you with those pics–snooze! I’d prefer to think I was so present in all the book-ish excitement that I couldn’t be bothered with documentation.
That said, I did snap a few shots of the highlights…
This year’s Opening General Session with Jason Reynolds was an awesome example of his ability to take a reader (or listener) down a series of winding paths (or several at once), then surprise you with the way they all converge. His multi-part speech led to a challenge to librarians: To create a generation of “walking, talking libraries” full of the stories and information they and others need. To be the architect that builds a “building that services the world.”
Watch out for his next twisty tale, Look Both Ways (Atheneum, October 8, 2019).
2019 marks the 50th anniversary of the Coretta Scott King Book Awards and ALA spent the weekend celebrating! From the anniversary gala to the awards breakfast, to panel discussions, podcasts, and programming ideas–CSK was everywhere. I was so lucky to participate in several of the sessions, hear from many of the celebrated authors and illustrators, and chat with the dedicated people that helped pull it all together. Stop by the Butler Center for a peek at The Coretta Scott King Book Awards: 50th Anniversary edited by Carole J. McCollough and Adelaide Poniatowski Phelps (American Library Association, 2019).
ALA Exhibit Floor
I’d be lying if I said I didn’t fangirl at meeting a few authors in DC, but not quite enough to ask for selfies. You’ll have to take my word for it that I talked to Christopher Myers about Effie Lee Morris and the Butler Center collection. To Don Brown (The Unwanted, HMH) about Brooklyn vs Chicago real estate prices. And Ngozi Ukazu (Check, Please! Book 1: # Hockey, First Second) about how she never has a business card with her when she needs it.
It has taken a week to get my books unpacked and my thoughts together on a whirlwind weekend in DC, but it was a wonderful and rewarding trip. Now on to summer vacations with some of those lovely ARC’s!
Butler's Pantry 