Are you lucky enough to be going to the ALA Annual Conference? Here’s a preview of programs that may be of interest to readers’ advisors:

FRIDAY

FRIDAY 8:00pm – Comic World: Graphic Novels Come of Age
ALA – PUBLISHING Washington Convention Center -144A-C
Booklist magazine’s Books for Youth Annual Forum celebrates graphic novels with a program featuring comics creators and publishers Francoise Mouly, Gene Luen Yang, Mark Siegel, and Matt Phelan. Moderator: Ian Chipman, Booklist magazine, Associate Editor Speakers: Francoise Mouly, Toon Books, Editorial Director; Matt Phelan, Candlewick Press, author; Mark Siegel, First Second, an imprint of Roaring Brook Press, Editorial Director; Gene Luen Yang, First Second, an imprint of Roaring Brook Press, author.

SATURDAY

SATURDAY, 8:00 a.m. – 9:00 a.m. AUDITORIUM SPEAKER SERIES – Nancy Pearl with Mary McDonagh Murphy ALA Washington Convention Center -Ballroom C

SATURDAY, 8:00 a.m. – 9:00 a.m. Poetry as a Community Builder: Expanding Community Outreach Through Poetry ALA – PPO Washington Convention Center -102 A
Authors, Literature & Cultural Programming Make poetry accessible to your community. This program will discuss new ideas and best practices in poetry programs and outreach. Moderator: Mary Davis Fournier, ALAPPO, Deputy Director Speakers: Kwame Alexander, Poet; Linda Holtslander, Loudon County Public Library, Assistant Director.

SATURDAY 8:00-10:00am – Listen Up! Using Audiobooks to Motivate Boys to Become Readers
ALSC AASL Washington Convention Center -144A-C Children & Young Adults Current research indicates that boys are not reaching their potential as readers in today’s school environment. As educators, we must explore more varied avenues for meeting their literacy needs. Using audiobooks maximizes auditory learning modalities and provides an appealing, affordable alternative for experiencing quality literature for all students, particularly boys. A panel featuring a librarian, publisher, and author will discuss theoretical as well as practical issues related to the use of audiobooks with boys. Speakers: Rose Brock, Coppell Middle School West, Librarian; Cheryl Herman, Random House Publishing Group, Director of Marketing; Jon Scieszka, Random House Books on Tape/Listening Library, Author.

SATURDAY 8:00-10:00am I’m Doing Events at the Library from Now On: Running an Effective Author Series on a Budget PLA Washington Convention Center -209A/B
Authors, Literature & Cultural Programming A panel of staff members from the St. Louis County Library Discuss their experience with successful author events at the library, how librarians can work with publishers to bring in A-list authors, and how libraries can work with sponsors to leverage these events for fund-raising and public relations opportunities. Speakers: Charles Pace, St. Louis County Library, Director; Carrie Robb, St. Louis County Library, Adult Program Coordinator; Author To be determined; Tim Wadham, St. Louis County Library, Assistant Director for Youth & Community Services.

SATURDAY, 10:30 a.m. – 11:30 a.m. AUDITORIUM SPEAKER SERIES – Sue Monk Kidd and Ann Kidd Taylor ALA Washington Convention Center -Ballroom C

SATURDAY, 10:30 a.m. – 11:30 a.m. New Grant Available: Use Louisa May Alcott TV Special for Library Programs ALA – PPO Grand Hyatt -Constitution C/D
Learn about a new NEH grant to ALA for library programs using the documentary “Louisa May Alcott: The Woman Behind Little Women,” and discuss the “Soul of a People” documentary and library programs. Producers of both films will be present. Also featured: documentary websites and educational resources for libraries. Moderator: Susan Brandehoff, ALAPPO, Director, Program Development & Partnerships; Jennifer Dominiak, ALA Public Programs Office, Program Officer, Exhibitions Speakers: Henry Fortunato, Kansas City Public Library, Librarian; Andrea Kalin, Spark Media, President, Soul of a People Documentary; Nancy Porter, Producer and Director, Louis May Alcott Documentary; Nora Quinlan, Nova U, Librarian; Harriet Reisen, Author, Louisa May Alcott: The Woman Behind Little Women; Jude Schanzer, East Meadow NY Public Library, Librarian.

SATURDAY 10:30am – noon Going Socratic with Coretta Scott King Book Award Titles: A Socratic Seminar Approach to Book Discussions EMIERT Four Points Sheraton -Franklin C/D
Using Coretta Scott King Book Award-winning titles Elijah of Buxton and Moses, learn the how-to’s of the Socratic Process to involve students in inquiry and rich discussion of opinions based on the text. Session will include defining the Socratic method, seminar etiquette, and role of facilitator. Learn how to select the best texts, conduct a seminar, enhance inquiry skills of student participants, and assess the seminar. Speakers: Barbara Clark, Birmingham Public Schools , Bloomfield, MI, Coordinator for Media and Enrichment Services; Kelli Hughes, Farmington Public Schools, Farmington, MI, School Library Media Specialist; Adelaide Phelps, Oakland University, Director, Educational Resources Lab.

SATURDAY, 10:30 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. Isn’t It Romantic?
ALTAFF Washington Convention Center -142 Authors, Literature & Cultural Programming Join bestselling romance writers as they discuss their work. Authors include Madeline Hunter, Beth Harbison, Mary Blayney, Kathryn Caskie, Elizabeth Hoyt, and Kristan Higgins. The program will be moderated by Barbara Hoffert, Editor of the Book Review for Library Journal. An author signing will follow. Some books will be given away and others will be sold at a generous discount. Author details available at www.ala.org/altaff.

SATURDAY 12:00 – 1:30pm Margaret A. Edwards Luncheon $ YALSA Washington Convention Center -146A/B
Come join us for lunch and listen to the winner of the 2010 Margaret A. Edwards Award, Jim Murphy, talk about his writing. The award honors his significant and lasting contribution to writing for teens for An American Plague: The True and Terrifying Story of the Yellow Fever Epidemic of 1793; Blizzard! The Storm That Changed America; The Great Fire; The Long Road to Gettysburg; and A Young Patriot: The American Revolution as Experienced by One Boy. The annual award is administered by YALSA, the fastest growing division of ALA, and sponsored by School Library Journal magazine.

SATURDAY 1:30-3:30pm Everyone’s a Critic: The Future of Book Reviewing ALA – PUBLISHING Washington Convention Center -202A Authors, Literature & Cultural Programming
The top-down hierarchy of book reviewing has been changed forever by a generation who can start their own review publication in minutes. Established cultural arbiters fear losing market share in the Wild West of the World Wide Web. But is old versus new an either/or proposition? Presenters discuss the ways critical authority is earned and how old and new media can complement each other. Join Booklist Online’s Keir Graff and three experts who approach book reviewing from different perspectives for a lively exploration of the ways top-down and bottom-up can meet in the middle.

SATURDAY 1:30-3:30pm Multiple Formats and Multiple Copies in a Digital Age: Acceptance, Tolerance, Elimination ALCTS – CMDS, RUSA – CODES RUSA CODES Washington Convention Center -147B Collection Management & Technical Services Collection Development
Some libraries embrace all copies and formats, others tolerate them, and still others remove all formats/copies but one. In a digital age, how do we embrace removing items from our collections that have been replaced by other formats? How do we create buy in for these projects? Come listen to best practices about the ways in which libraries have and are addressing issues surrounding eliminating multiple formats and copies. Speakers: Robert Kieft, Occidental College, College Librarian; Doug Way, Grand Valley State University, Head of Collection Development; Roy Ziegler, Florida State University, Associate Director of Collections

SATURDAY 4:00-5:30pm Science Fiction and Fantasy: Informing the Present by Imagining the Future LITA Washington Convention Center -Ballroom B Authors, Literature & Cultural Programming
Distinguished science fiction and fantasy authors will discuss the visionary nature of their craft, how speculative literature suggests new ideas and technologies, and the possible impact the ideas could have on society in the future. Presented by LITA Imagineering IG. Speakers: Cory Doctorow, Tor Books, Author; Jane Lindskold, Tor Books, Author; Cherie Priest, Tor Books, Author; Brandon Sanderson, Author; Dom Testa, Tor Books, Author

SATURDAY 4:00-5:30p.m. Readers’ Advisory Research and Trends Forum RUSA – CODES Washington Convention Center -204B/C Authors, Literature & Cultural Programming
The Readers’ Advisory Research and Trends Forum showcases creative thinking in all areas related to readers’ advisory (RA), including reference, adult services and collection development. Come join your colleagues in this interactive conversation and learn from a range of experts exploring the cutting edge of RA. Speakers: Nathan Altice, Virginia Commonwealth University; Tom De Haven; Daniel De Simone, Library of Congress

SATURDAY 8-10pm Stories for a Saturday Evening
ALSC Washington Convention Center -144A-C Children & Young Adults
You have had a long day of meetings, programs and exhibits. Take a little time for yourself, kick off your shoes, sit back, and relax. Nothing is more relaxing than a good laugh, and we have some great storytellers who will share original and traditional stories that will entertain and delight! Bring a friend – it is FREE! Speakers: Joe Hayes, Cinco Puntos Press, Bilingual Storyteller; Linda Martin, Sugar Hill Elementary School, Teacher Librarian; Kim Weitkamp, Consultant, Humorist and Storyteller

SUNDAY

SUNDAY 8:00 a.m. – 9:00 a.m. AUDITORIUM SPEAKER SERIES – Sarah, The Duchess of York ALA Washington Convention Center -Ballroom – CANCELLED! Late breaking news: Duchess of York replaced by Marlo Thomas

SUNDAY 8am-10am PRIME TIME Family Reading Time: A Model Program for Strengthening Families & Building Communities ALA – PPO Washington Convention Center -203A/B Authors, Literature & Cultural Programming; Literacy & Learning
Engage diverse, underserved neighborhoods of your community in PRIME TIME FAMILY READING TIME, a family literacy program featuring humanities-focused content, quality children’s literature, techniques based on the Socratic Method, and collective learning. A distinguished panel including representatives from the American Library Association, the National Endowment for the Humanities, and the Louisiana Endowment for the Humanities will discuss this program’s history, philosophy, and methodology, as well as proven strategies for securing funds to support this outreach model. Speakers: Rhonda Butler, Public Libraries of Saginaw, MI, Children’s and Teen Services Coordinator; Lainie Castle, ALA Public Programs Office, Project Director; Anne Haimes, Atlanta-Fulton Public Library System, GA, Branch Group Manager; Pat Leach, Lincoln City Libraries, Lincoln, NE, Director; Thomas Phelps, National Endowment for the Humanities, Director, Division of Public Programs

SUNDAY, June 27, 8-10am Literary Tastes Breakfast $ RUSA, RUSA – CODES RUSA CODES Grand Hyatt -Independence A
RUSA, the home to readers’ advisory, welcomes all book lovers to celebrate the power and pleasure of reading at this Annual Conference tradition! Hear from the 2010 RUSA book award winners, including the Notable Books List and Reading List. Enjoy a delicious breakfast while listening to authors speak about their work. Authors will sign books after the program. Purchase tickets in advance–limited seating available at the door. Speakers: Dan Chaon, Await Your Reply: A Novel, author; Laney Salisbury, Provenance: How a Con Man and a Forger Rewrote the History of Modern Art, author; David Small, Stitches: A Memoir, author; Adriana Trigiani, Very Valentine, author 40th

SUNDAY, June 27, 8-10am Teen Book Groups Can Work: how three very different libraries created teen reading communities YALSA Washington Convention Center -143B/C Children & Young Adults; Best Practices in Programming & Instruction
Librarians from three settings -rural, suburban, and urban – will describe through multimedia the challenges each of our teen initiatives faced and how we overcame them. We’ll show examples of each success model through slides, video and narration. A group of teens from Duxbury, MA will model a typical weekly meeting and the audience can ask questions of both librarians and teens.

SUNDAY 9am-10am YA Author Coffee Klatch $ YALSA Washington Convention Center -207A/B
Enjoy coffee and meet with YALSA’s award winning authors! This informal coffee klatch will give you an opportunity to meet authors who have appeared on one of YALSA’s six annual selected lists or have received one of YALSA’s five literary awards. Librarians will sit at a table and every 3 or 4 minutes, a new author will arrive at your table to talk!

SUNDAY 10:30-noon Celebrating the Spoken Word with Poetry for Young People ALSC Washington Convention Center -103A Children & Young Adults; Best Practices in Programming & Instruction
This program celebrates the oral quality of poetry for young people by showcasing the current Children’s Poet Laureate, Mary Ann Hoberman, who will speak about her life, work, and creative process; inviting participants to join in on interactive reading aloud of children’s poetry using a variety of practical strategies, and concluding with a performance by young winners of the new Poetry Out Loud National Recitation Contest, a program for fostering children’s confidence and public speaking. Speakers: Mary Ann Hoberman, Little Brown Publishing Company, Poet and Author; Sylvia Vardell, Texas Woman’s University, Professor; Stephen Young, Poetry Foundation, Program Director

SUNDAY 10:30-noon Innovative Collection Centered Programs: Beyond the Book Group RUSA – CODES Renaissance Washington – Renaissance East User Services;
Outreach Libraries around the country put on fantastic adult programs for their patrons, but often these programs are driven by the performer or speaker, and connections made to the library’s collection are frequently an afterthought or altogether nonexistent. During this session we’ll discuss content and implementation tips for collection-centered programs, including both traditional events like book discussion groups creative programming opportunities such as adult storytimes, summer reading programs, mock book awards, battle of the book competitions, genre studies, and seasonal previews of new books. Speakers: Vivienne Beckett, Scenic Regional Library, Assistant Director/Adult Services Librarian; Michelle BoisvenueFox, Kent District Library, Branch Manager; Cynthia Dudenhoffer, Central Methodist University, Director of Information Resources; Alan Jacobson, Oak Park Public Library, Librarian; David Wright, Seattle Public Library, Librarian

SUNDAY 10:30-noon 2010 Alex Awards YALSA Washington Convention Center -150B Children & Young Adults; Literature & Collection Development
The 2010 Alex Award winners—what they are and how to sell them to young adults—are highlighted in this panel presentation. Winning author David Small will speak about his book and the award. The Alex Award is given to the top 10 books that appeal to young adults, and is administered by YALSA and sponsored by the Margaret Alexander Edwards Trust.

Sunday, 1:00 p.m. – 2:30 p.m. AUDITORIUM SPEAKER SERIES – PLA President’s Program, Will Shortz ALA, PLA Washington Convention Center-Ballroom C
The Public Library Association (PLA) is pleased to announce famed puzzle master, Will Shortz, as keynote speaker for the PLA President’s Program and Awards Presentation at the American Library Association (ALA) Annual Conference in Washington, D.C. The program is part of the ALA Auditorium Speaker Series and will take place at the Washington Convention Center, Sunday, June 27 at 1:00 pm. Listeners to NPR’s “Weekend Sunday Edition” and readers of the New York Times are familiar with the challenging style of Will Shortz, the world’s only academically accredited enigmatologist. Also featured – PLA Awards. PLA President Sari Feldman will present PLA Awards including the Margaret E. Monroe Award to Nancy Pearl, and the Allie Beth Martin Award to Rebecca Vnuk.

SUNDAY 1:30-3:30pm The Best of the Best from the University Presses: Books You Should Know About AASL Washington Convention Center -103A Children & Young Adults; Literature & Collection Development
25-30 University Press titles will be presented by a panel of PLA and AASL-member librarians. Titles will represent those featured in the 2010 University Press Books Selected for Public and Secondary School Libraries, an annual collection development bibliography produced by the Association of American University Presses in coordination with the AASL’s American University Press Books committee and PLA’s University Press Book Reviewers Community of Practice group. Book subjects will include art, literature, history, multicultural studies, political science, and memoirs. A raffle of all books presented will be drawn at the end of the program.

SUNDAY 1:30-3:30pm Authors Come in All Colors ALTAFF Washington Convention Center -142
Authors, Literature & Cultural Programming Join Dwayne Betts, Randa Jarrar, Dolen Perkins-Valdez, Kimberla Lawson Roby, and Artist Arthur for a lively panel of writers with diverse backgrounds and points of view. The program will be moderated by Barbara Hoffert, Editor of the Book Review for Library Journal. An author signing will follow. Some books will be given away and others will be sold at a generous discount. Author details available at www.ala.org/altaff.

SUNDAY 1:30-3:30pm Teen Book Festivals: Connecting Teens and Authors, a why and how to guide YALSA Washington Convention Center -143B/C Children & Young Adults; Best Practices in Programming & Instruction
Give your teen readers something to celebrate! Learn proven steps to create, organize, fund, and promote a successful Teen Book Festival for your school, library, or entire community. Whether you have a few authors or dozens, this program will help you get started or improve author visits you already have in place. As an added bonus hear from authors Terry Trueman and Ellen Hopkins for their perspective about what makes author events and visits successful.

SUNDAY 4-5pm – Good Comics for Kids: Building a Collection of Graphic Novels for Young Readers ALSC Washington Convention Center -152A Children & Young Adults; Collection Development
Graphic novels are moving out of the teen section and into the rest of the library. With so many new titles released every month, building a graphic novel collection for kids can be a daunting task. Join comics experts from School Library Journal’s Good Comics for Kids blog as they discuss what comics and graphic novels are, why they are important to include in children’s libraries, where to find them, and how to evaluate them. Speakers: Brigid Alverson, Good Comics for Kids, Contributing Writer; Robin Brenner, Brookline Public Library, Reference and Teen Librarian; Esther Keller, Marine Park Intermediate School, School Media Specialist; Scott Robins, Good Comics for Kids, Contributing Writer; Eva Volin, Alameda Free Library, Supervising Children’s Librarian; Snow Wildsmith, Good Comics for Kids, Contributing Writer

SUNDAY 4-5pm Pooling Limited Resources for Effective Teen Programming YALSA Washington Convention Center -143B/C Children & Young Adults; Best Practices in Programming & Instruction
Creating programming for teens can come with challenges on time and resources. This program will present new ideas that provide exciting and creative teen programs during times when resources and staff are limited. Sydney McCoy will share how rotating teen program boxes have increased teen library participation while decreasing staff workload. Jamie Watson will share a joint afterschool program with the Boys and Girls Club that has created a dedicated teen lounge.

SUNDAY 5:30-7:30pm The Laugh’s on Us! $ ALTAFF Grand Hyatt -Independence A
Mark your calendar! Comedian and ALTAFF spokesperson Paula Poundstone will headline this evening featuring Julie Klausner, Jim Breuer (from Saturday Night Live), Kathy Kinney (Mimi on The Drew Carey Show), Ed Ugel, Stephanie Dolgoff, and Roy Blount, Jr. Wine and cheese will be served, and a book signing will follow. Some books will be given away free and others will be available for purchase at a generous discount. Purchase tickets early to this event, which is always a sell-out. Event Code: ALT2

SUNDAY 6:00 – 11pm Newbery Caldecott Banquet $ ALSC Hilton Washington -International BR
This gala event celebrates the Newbery and Caldecott Medalists and Honorees, authors and illustrators of the year’s most distinguished books for children. Cash bar before dinner; doors open at 6:45 p.m. Individual tickets are $94 and require pre-registration. A limited number of tickets will be available at Onsite Registration until noon Friday. Tickets will not be sold at the door.

MONDAY

MONDAY 8am-10am – E-Books: How Do You Know It Was Worth It? ALCTS – AS, ALCTS – CMDS, RUSA – CODES, PLA RUSA CODES Washington Convention Center -146B Collection Management & Technical Services; Collection Development
Models of ebook collection analysis continue to evolve. This program will provide a discussion of the different measures available to evaluate usage of ebooks as well as anticipated improvements desired to measure and evaluate the library’s investment in ebooks. Speakers: Terry Kirchner, Westchester Library System, Director; Christopher Warnock, Ebrary, CEO & CTO; Tom Wright, Brigham Young University, Collection Development Coordinator/Chair of Materials Acquisitions

MONDAY 8am-10am Teen Space: Design with Economy YALSA Washington Convention Center -103A Children & Young Adults; Best Practices in Programming & Instruction
Cramped, dull, boring, and empty. Do these words describe how your teen area looks? An attractive and welcoming space will bring teens into your library and do a lot to boost teen services. But, how do you accomplish this with space, budget and time limitations? Get some tips from experts, and learn about the experiences of several branches of the Montgomery County Public Libraries, who joined forces with the Washington Post “Makeover” column to create dynamic, teen-friendly spaces. Partnerships, complimentary design assistance and teen input are ingredients that could work for every library.

MONDAY, 10:30 a.m. – 11:30 a.m. AUDITORIUM SPEAKER SERIES - Graphic Novel Panel ALA Washington Convention Center -Ballroom C

MONDAY 10:30- noon Low-Budget Ways to Connect Readers with Authors using Web 2.0 Tools AASL Washington Convention Center -102 A Children & Young Adults; Technology
Attendees will learn to enhance the reading experience by connecting readers with authors in innovative, affordable ways with Web 2.0 tools. Topics include: deciding which online tools and resources are best for your needs (e.g., blogs, wikis, Skype, and social networking such as Facebook and Twitter), how to design a program that maximum discussion, collaboration, and interaction, and finding authors who will work with you to create a successful Web 2.0 event or program.

MONDAY 10:30 – noon Reading for a Lifetime – You Bet! AASL Washington Convention Center -101 Children & Young Adults; Best Practices in Programming & Instruction
Guided by AASL’s School Librarian’s Role in Reading Position Paper, the R4L Toolkit, and the Standards for the 21st-Century Learner, participants will acquire strategies to take a leadership role in reading in their schools. This interactive session provides K-12 examples from the field and hands-on practice with key comprehension and coteaching strategies. Looking for ideas to implement on Monday morning? Join this session to increase your impact on reading!

MONDAY 10:30 – noon First Author, First Book ALTAFF Washington Convention Center -142 Authors, Literature & Cultural Programming
This traditional event allows the audience to hear from the future’s best-selling authors including Isabel Wilkerson, Jean Kwok, Eugenia Kim, Jay Varner, Daphne Kalotay, and Mitchell Kaplan. Be the first to collect your signed first-edition (or Reader’s Copy)! The program will be moderated by Barbara Hoffert, Editor of the Book Review for Library Journal. An author signing will follow. Some books will be given away and others will be sold at a generous discount. Author details available at www.ala.org/altaff.

MONDAY 10:30 – noon Science Fiction: Past, Present, Future LITA Washington Convention Center -209A/B Authors, Literature & Cultural Programming
Explore the genre of science fiction. James Gunn, a noted writer and scholar, will give an overview of where the genre of science fiction has been. Futurist Cory Doctorow will look at where it is going. Librarian Neil Hollands will show how the genre can be used in libraries today. Presented by LITA Imagineering IG.

MONDAY 10:30 – noon Phat* Fiction: Engaging Hip-Hop Literature in the Public Library (*phat=popular, hip and tempting fiction) PLA Washington Convention Center -147B Authors, Literature & Cultural Programming
Why should librarians identify and purchase urban fiction? While book reviews, publishers’ lists, and patron requests drive much library purchasing, mainstream publisher’s omission of hip hop imprints often means patrons are not finding what they want to read on library shelves. This presentation will be both an exploration of the impact of hip hop publishers and authors in public libraries and a comparison of racial, ethnic, regional aspects of urban fiction presentation. Moderator: Kimberly Boyd, Chicago Public Schools Dept. of Libraries, Librarian Speakers: Kimberly Boyd, Chicago Public Schools Dept. of Libraries, Librarian; Paula ChaseHyman, Selfemployed, Author; Kia Dupree, www.kiadupree.com, Author; D.L. Grant, San Antonio Public Library, Asst. Mgr., G. W. Carver Branch; Megan Honig, New York Public Library, Teen Collection Specialist; Christopher Lassen, Brooklyn Public Library, Children’s Librarian; Susan McClelland, Evanston Public Library, Reader’s Advisor Librarian; Vanessa Irvin Morris, Selfemployed, Author; Amy Pattee, Simmons College GSLIS, Faculty; Kimberla Lawson Roby, None, Author

MONDAY, 10:30 a.m. – 1:00 p.m. Stonewall Book Awards Brunch $ GLBTRT Washington Convention Center -207A
The Stonewall Book Awards will be celebrated with a brunch and speakers. This is a ticketed event.

MONDAY 2pm-4pm Gala Author Tea $ ALTAFF Renaissance Mayflower -Grand BR
Don’t miss this traditional event featuring five bestselling authors who will discuss their writing life and forthcoming books. Authors include Sharyn McCrumb, Sophie Hannah, Laura Lippman, Carolyn Parkhurst, and Heidi Durrow. Enjoy tea, coffee, finger sandwiches, and a variety of sweet treats. A book signing will follow, with some books given away free and others available for purchase at a generous discount. Buy your ticket early as this event often sells out. Event Code: ALT3

MONDAY, 3:00 p.m. – 4:00 p.m. AUDITORIUM SPEAKER SERIES – Junot Diaz ALA Washington Convention Center -Ballroom C

MONDAY 4:00-5:30 Queer Teens: LGBTQ Young Adult Novels GLBTRT Washington Convention Center -152A Children & Young Adults; Literature & Collection Development
Authors of LGBTQ literature discuss their work.

MONDAY 5:30-7:30 7th Annual Poetry Blast ALSC Washington Convention Center -144A-C Children & Young Adults
Poetry should be heard and not just seen. Poetry Blast celebrates the wonder and excitement of this aural tradition, featuring contemporary North American poetry for children by poets both new and established. The audience will find this enlightening and energizing event a perfect way to end a conference day. Ten to twelve poets will read. Hosted by Barbara A. Genco and Poet/Writer Marilyn Singer. Information about current and forthcoming books of poetry will be available. Speakers: Arnold Adoff, Clarion Books, Author; Calef Brown, Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing, Author; Lois Ehlert, Simon & Schuster Children’s Books, Author; Barbara Genco, Barbara A. Genco Consulting, Consultant; Lee Bennett Hopkins, Abrams Books for Young Readers, Author; Debbie Levy, Sterling Publishing Co., Author; George Ella Lyon, Simon & Schuster, Author; Tony Medina, Lee & Low Publishing Co., Author; Heidi Mordhorst, Boyds Mills Press, Author; Marilyn Nelson, Penguin Young Readers Group, Author; Marilyn Singer, Penguin Young Readers Group, Author; Carole Boston Weatherford, Boyds Mills Press, Author

MONDAY 5:30pm 7:30pm AILA American Indian Youth Literature Awards Presentation AFL – AILA ALA OLOS Washington Convention Center -146C The third American Indian Youth Literature Awards presentation. This award identifies and honors the very best writing and illustrations by and about American Indians. The program will include speakers, awards presentation, and a Native American cultural performance.

MONDAY 8:00-10:00pm BCALA Literary Awards Presentation and Reception AFL – BCALA Four Points Sheraton -Franklin C/D
Annual announcement and recognition of juried fiction and nonfiction. BCALA Literary Award committee invites winning authors and provides copies of books for sale and autographs. A reception is held to allow for additional interaction between authors, award committee members, and other invited guests.

MONDAY 8:00-10:00pm Michael L. Printz Program and Reception $ YALSA Washington Convention Center -Ballroom B
Come listen to Michael L. Printz award-winning author of Going Bovine, Libba Bray, and honor book authors Deborah Heiligman, author of Charles and Emma: The Darwins’ Leap of Faith; Rick Yancey, author of The Monstrumologist; Adam Rapp, author of Punkzilla; and John Barnes, author of Tales of the Madman Underground: An Historical Romance, 1973 speak about their writing, followed by a reception. The annual award is administered by YALSA and sponsored by Booklist magazine.

TUESDAY 7:00 a.m. – 9:00 a.m. Coretta Scott King Book Awards Breakfast $ EMIERT Renaissance Washington -Grand BR
Celebrate the 2010 Coretta Scott King Book Awards recipients at this annual breakfast honoring the year’s best African American authors and illustrators of books for children and youth. The first recipient of the Coretta Scott King – Virginia Hamilton Award for Lifetime Achievement will also be honored. Individual tickets may be purchased in advance for $50 each, and onsite for $60 from ALA Registration until Sunday, June 27. Tuesday,

TUESDAY 9am-10am CLOSING SESSION- Amy Sedaris ALA Washington Convention Center -Ballroom C

Program Information

by Sarah Nagle

Editor’s Note: Sarah was good enough to provide a number of her impressions from the 2010 PLA conference for us; we thought we’d present them as one report as a “grand finale” of sorts to our PLA Conference Reports. Many thanks to Sarah and all our contributors!

“I have been fortunate to attend the semi-annual national Public Library Association (PLA) convention since 2000, and it is the best national continuing education event for me as a public librarian. I was particularly interested in hearing about Readers’ Advisory trends and having the chance to network with practitioners from across the country (I now see certain people every two years and email them in between). I also wanted, as someone assuming more collection responsibilities, to spend a great deal of time in the exhibits to peruse what is being published and what is being promoted as ‘hot.’ Is the book ‘dead?’ Judging from the quantity of new titles and ARCs (Advanced Reader Copies) almost thrown at me, the answer is emphatically NO.

One extremely practical session for me was a Table Talk on ‘Building a Readers’ Advisory Team’ led by Barry Trott and Neil Hollands of the Williamsburg Regional Library. WRL is in the enviable position of having a plethora of adult services librarians to support its innovative and nationally renowned RA activities. Barry is adamant that libraries should not ‘throw out the books piece’–we shouldn’t change the perception that books are at the heart of the library, but instead broaden it. This is a human-centered approach, as story is central to people’s lives; and, as Barry mentioned, ‘anyone who talks to us about books is setting themselves up to be vulnerable.’

Another interesting session was ‘I Have These Statistics–Now What?‘
Library staff can be very active in using system-generated lists to weed materials which haven’t circulated, resulting in more attractive and appealing sections once the deadwood has been pulled. There are more measurements we can use in the future, such as average turnover, average age, and so forth. This is of course in addition to the weeding-for-condition which is constant!

I also attended several author-related programs, where I was greatly entertained and enlightened, and got lots of books, ARCs, and other swag. These programs included:

• American Association of Publishers Author Breakfast (authors Lisa Grunwald, Leila Meacham, Mary Roach, Mahbod Seraji, Philip Margolin, Kristin Hannah, and Mary Alice Monroe)
• Clues Revealed: The Best in Mystery Authors and Books (authors Jo Nesbo, Ted Dekker, Karin Slaughter, Dana Haynes, Meg Gardiner, and Cara Black)
• More than Martinis and Manolos (authors Jane Porter, Susan Wiggs, and Beth Kendrick)
• What’s Love Got to Do With It? (authors Christina Dodd, Elizabeth Boyle, Niki Burnham, and Elisabeth Naughton)
• Closing Session with Author Sarah Vowell

Some observations after listening to all of these authors, regardless of genre: they are extremely intelligent and well-educated; they often have law and/or education backgrounds; they stress the importance of STORY in everyone’s life; they consider libraries essential to human life (including theirs); they wanted to be authors early on in life but took different paths to get there. And what really struck me is their incredible ability to create a story, live it during the writing process, and then, once it is done, step back and resume a normal life (with one or two exceptions). In fact, they seem to be able to do that much more readily than I would bet many of their readers can.

I visited Powells Books twice, and it was amazing (a pilgrimage for book nerds). I absolutely adored Portland’s light rail system, which was free in the downtown zone, and which allowed me to travel conveniently and trouble-free during my entire stay.

Now, on to Philadelphia in 2012!”

PLA Handouts are available here; Library Journal also provided coverage of many programs at the conference.

Sarah Nagle is a Reference and Collections Librarian for the Carver County Library system in Chanhassen, MN.

by Sally Bissell

“Any RA-loving librarian who hasn’t had the pleasure of attending a workshop with Michael Gannon is really missing the boat! I had heard him speak several years ago, maybe in Seattle, when he was talking up his great reference book, Blood, Bullets, Bedlam and Badguys, so when I saw that he was here in Portland I made sure to be in the front row. Michael teaches RA to new staff members at his library in Prince George’s County in Maryland. They must wonder what they’ve gotten into!

First, let me tell you. He’s a cross between a stand-up comedian and the best teacher you’ve ever had. When you leave his sessions your gut hurts from laughing so much, but then you realize that you’ve also learned so much. His presentation involved a giant screen graced with book covers that he chose as representative of the various genre literature that he was discussing. How to distinguish between Sci-Fi and Fantasy? Aliens on the one hand, unicorns on the other. Spaceships on one side, women with swords on the other.

He talked about all the mystery subgenres like cozies, historicals, hard-boiled, and suspense. Looking at covers? Look for color. It makes a difference. Lovely muted tones, airbrushed women fully clothed? Christian fiction. Purples and reds? You guessed it, steamy romance. Submarines? Weapons systems? You’re in techno-thriller or cyber thriller territory. Medical thrilers? Just look for the needle on the cover. Forensics? How about some broken bones? And Westerns? Well who knew that there’s a subgenre of Western that Mr. Gannon refers to as “Harlequin for Men”? Man and horse on the cover? Traditional western. Man, horse, and woman? Something else again.

Distinguishing the nuances of genre literature has become more and more difficult as lines blur and one genre slides into another. The quicker you can get to Gannon’s book or handouts or his talk at the next conference, the better!”

Sally Bissell is an adult services/reference librarian from Southwest Florida. She blogs about books and life at:
http://www.readaroundtheworld-sallyb.blogspot.com.

by Jane Jorgenson

“What a great event! The first speaker was Chelsea Cain (author of the gripping series featuring serial killer Gretchen Lowell and Detective Archie Sheridan). Chelsea said the first audio books she heard were those read to her by her dad. After that she would listen when she ran and then when she drove between college and home. She started to date the guy who rented the tapes to her and he read the entire Lord of the Rings out loud to her – so what was a girl to do but marry him?

Next up was Marcia Muller, who started out quietly talking about how Sharon McCone is always right behind her telling her what to do. Marcia had to take flying lessons because Sharon met Hy Ripinsky and he likes to fly. She ended by reading some of the comments she’s received from readers. A sampling:

• “I was a new stay-at-home mom and your audiotapes helped me through a lonely and depressing time.”
• “I listen to Sharon on the way to work. The other day I had a wreck. Enclosed is the repair bill.”
• “Why does Sharon continue to root for those wretched 49ers?”
• One 78-year-old reader reported that her husband so enjoys the Hy character that he wants to be called Hy in their more intimate moments.

Judy Kaye spoke next. She’s an actress and singer who was in the original Mamma Mia cast and played Carlotta in the Phantom of the Opera. She’s traveled and played many roles but said that reading the Kinsey Millhone books is the best thing that ever happened to her. She looks forward each year to getting the call to return to that “little airless room where she gets to be alone with all those characters once again.”

While everyone was great, the best came last. Author Sue Grafton was a hoot from start to finish. She told many stories, starting with how she worked for 15 years in Hollywood and that’s what drove her to write her first mystery. Someone there said she could write characters all right but she couldn’t do plot. She decided to show them and thus A is for Alibi was born.

Grafton has had learning experiences with each book – one sent her to a therapist who introduced her to Jungian therapy – who introduced her to the idea of a Shadow self. Our Shadow self is those parts of ourselves we hide and don’t like. If we want to know what our Shadow self looks like we should think of someone we despise – we hate them for being what we are and hate in ourselves. She realized Kinsey is her Shadow self. She ended with the story of how she came to realize she has multiple personalities. Unfortunately, I’m not doing her blunt and hilarious stories justice here; let’s just say they made me want to rush right out and read or listen to her books again.

All in this was a great event – and one that came with a great swag bag as well. It was sponsored by the Audio Publishers Association (natch), MacMillan Audio, BBC Audiobooks America and Books on Tape.

Jane Jorgenson is the Home Services Coordinator at Madison Public Library (WI) and an instructor for the distance education program at the University of Wisconsin Madison-SLIS. She is also the editor for Madison PL’s book reviews blog, MADreads.

by Linda Johns

“Do a Dewey a Day, develop your own go-to list of nonfiction titles, de-emphasize the words ‘read’ and ‘reading’ in display signs and conversation, remember that mood is more important than subject, pair fiction and nonfiction, and use movies as a springboard for readers advisory–these were just a few of the tips from Mary Kelly (Salem-South Lyon, Michigan) and Holly Hibner (Plymouth District Library, Michigan) in their Nonfiction Readers’ Advisory session at PLA 2010. You can find the full slide presentation here.

If you’re like me, the idea of de-emphasizing ‘reading’ was the one thing in that list that jumped out and seemed a bit (!) jarring–at first. But Mary’s suggestion to say things like ‘take a look at this’ in conversations in the stacks or having a display sign that says ‘take a peek’ is a great way to lure in a casual or uncertain reader. Nonfiction titles are often a great match for those readers, too, since many NF titles offer options for browsing, choosing to read just a chapter or two, or reading parts in order of interest. Mary uses this technique often when showing books to teens.

Doing a Dewey decade a day (or a week), while taking the time to browse the range and read jacket flaps, can help you develop your own go-to list as well as find intriguing titles for display. Casual conversations can also be a springboard–someone who is talking about cooking or loading up on cookbooks may be interested in What Einstein Told His Cook: Kitchen Science Explained by Robert L. Wolke, one of the titles on Mary’s own go-to list (shared on the presentation slides). By the way, the book covers on the slides had me taking all kinds of notes for ideas for displays and companion reads for novels, such as including The Wild Trees by Richard Preston in with adventure novels; The Sociopath Next Door by Martha Stout with Jeffery Deaver and Chelsea Cain novels; and 5 People Who Died During Sex and 100 Other Tasteless Lists by Karl Shaw in a random display just because who could resist picking it up?

Holly Hibner gets people to open up when talking about movies and magazines. Readers, she says, may pigeonhole themselves into a genre (‘I read mysteries’), but when people talk about film they may show a broader range. For whodunit filmgoers: The Suspicions of Mr. Whicher or the Murder at Road Hill House by Kate Summerscale (also a crossover for mystery and history readers); For romantic comedy fans: Flirting with Pride & Prejudice: Fresh Perspectives on the Original Chick Lit Masterpiece edited by Jennifer Crusie (also for chick lit readers); For paranormal fans and Ghost Hunters watchers: Seeking Spirits: The Lost Cases of the Atlantic Paranormal Society by Jason Hawes and Grant Wilson. National Geographic readers might like The Lost City of Z by David Grann; Popular Mechanics readers might like Shop Class as Soulcraft by Matthew Crawford; Ladies Home Journal readers might get a kick out of American Thighs or other in the Sweet Potato Queens’ series by Jill Conner Browne.

Getting beyond subject headings and guiding people toward both narrative nonfiction and highly browsable nonfiction can get people coming back to the library. I love the idea of mixing more nonfiction in with fiction displays, as well as doing reader’s advisory based on TV and movies. Have I mentioned enough times to take a look at the presentation slides? Cruising through them will get ideas flowing.

Also, be sure to check out this duo’s hilarious blog, Awful Library Books (which brought them fame last fall as guests on Jimmy Kimmel Live – you can watch it here; they’re fabulous!), as well as Mary Kelly’s The Practical Librarian blog and Holly Hibner’s blog.

Linda Johns is a librarian in the Fiction Department (where they also are happy to suggest NF titles!) at The Seattle Public Library.

by Laurie Spurling

“During this economic downturn, it is truly a gift to attend a conference and I was eagerly anticipating my first PLA experience. Our plane was de-iced, the flight was uneventful, and Portland airport personnel greeted the plane in shorts! Transportation was free to the convention center and I made it to the exhibit hall with over an hour to spare before the exhibits opened. In my newbie naiveté, I thought I would be getting a jump on everyone. How smug I was when I saw that no one had lined up for the opening events. Within 15 minutes, however, a steady stream of conference goers began lining up and the flow only increased as the opening approached. People were jockeying for position and I had no clue why! I asked the elite force of librarians equipped with extra bags and maps marked in red, and they clued me into the opening exhibit’s “holy grail” of ARCs (sometimes called uncorrected proofs, advanced reading, or reader’s copies) that were the coveted freebies. Before I had a chance to re-evaluate my game plan, the exhibit doors were opened and I could only move forward at the will of the crowd or be maimed. More dramatic than the parting of the Red Sea, the only thing missing from the experience was a soundtrack.

Vendors were in costume. I saw a King, a wolf, and enchanting library furniture. I was writing my own fairytale. I reached for authors I never heard of and learned I had missed the latest releases of Johnny Boo, Owly, and Korgi in 2009. I grabbed, stretched, yelled “toss it” and generally licked my lips like I was at an all you could eat dessert buffet. My reader’s advisory gluttony was out of control and I needed an intervention when I kept dropping what I had collected. I had to make choices if I was going to make it back to the Hilton. I huddled at a table and went through my goods like a bag of Halloween candy. I also was able to make trades with those who were less fortunate. I did keep two ARCs: Anna Quindlen’s Every Last One and The Particular Sadness of Lemon Cake by Aimee Bender. I eschewed the free vegetables, cold cuts, mini quiches and drinks offered by several vendors. I was looking for the chocolate fondue fountain. Not finding one, I am thinking some clever publisher will have a “sweets for tweets” promotion next conference. Hint, hint.

The next day started early with a chance to promote the Rainbow Project, a reader’s advisory project of the Social Responsibilities Round Table and the Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, Transgendered Round Table. Ms. Manfredi, Head of Youth Services at Mesa Public in Los Alamos, N.M., had invited me to chime in at ‘Spanning the Generations: Serving the GLBTIQ Community of ALL Ages.’ The engaging facilitator, Mr. Kleiman, and Ms. Manfriedi shared ideas and resources with a very interested crowd. For the uninitiated, the acronym or “alphabet soup” GLBTIQ stands for Gay-Lesbian-Bisexual-Transgendered-Intersex-Questioning. It was pointed out increasingly practitioners are adding an “A” for Ally. Grab a copy of the new (March 2010) guide from Libraries Unlimited on serving Lesbian, Gay Bisexual, Transgender, and Questioning Teens. Aside from reader’s advisory, suggestions were made for programming, including highlights from Dallas Public Library and community partnerships like online health information training being developed at Denver Public Library. I came away from the session remembering ‘thinking makes it so’ and that dreaming is the first step in bringing a program idea into reality…DREAM BIG!”

Laurie Spurling is a gratefully employed public librarian in Colorado.

by Mary K. Bird-Guilliams

“Susan Fichtelberg, Di Herald, and Bonnie Kunzel tag-teamed this fast-paced session on new books in speculative fiction; that is, fantasy, science fiction and paranormal for adults and teens. They combined their skills to preview a remarkable number of titles during the session – flashing the cover art up on the big screen and describing their appeal and essential features in a quick (close to twitterspeak) amount of words. When a book was the latest series offering, a bit more overall background was given.

“Entry ages” were mentioned – the upper age being pretty open (as more adults than ever are reading YA fiction). Lots of sex or really complicated concepts are the main content areas pushing a title up into the adult category. The list of books is available from their websites (you want the master list at 46 pages).

This was a really fun and lively session, my only complaint being that I had hoped to be given some solid rules for telling paranormal from fantasy from science fiction. Not that I don’t have my own ideas on the subject – I am doing the fantasy part of an RA panel in Kansas on April 29th – but now I have to do more of my own homework. However, I have decided the fact that the genres were presented all together is somewhat significant in its own right, an indication that there is increasing recognition of the similarities in these bon bons of imaginary fiction. There are those of us who have used the umbrella term “speculative fiction” since the 70s, and it still fits better than any of the other terms.”

The handouts for this program are available at the PLA handouts website: Discussion List, Paranormal List, and Teen Fantasy and SF.

Mary K. Bird-Guilliams is the Collection Development Manager at the Wichita Public Library. She works full time at managing the selection, acquisitions, cataloging and processing for the nine-branch system. In her spare time she writes reviews, does some RA, and reads madly.

by Jean Anderson

“Scott Turow and Luis Alberto Urrea were the featured speakers at the two Adult Author Luncheons at PLA in Portland. I signed up for both as I love hearing authors talk about their work. I’ve read almost everything that Scott Turow has written (and I saw him at a luncheon at ALA many years ago) but Luis Alberto Urrea was an unknown author to me.

I’m a big Scott Turow fan and going to the luncheon was a highlight of the conference for me. He’s an accomplished speaker and storyteller and I enjoyed hearing him speak. Scott said that he always wanted to be a writer and wrote his first book while a freshman in college at Stanford. He was also passionate about the law and went to Harvard Law School – he wrote his book One L about this experience. While an Assistant US Attorney in Chicago, he began to combine his passion for law and his fascination with crime and criminality and started to write Presumed Innocent. He wrote much of this while on the commuter train and I have an image of him writing furiously on a yellow legal pad trying to get as much done as possible before the train arrived.

Scott said that a prosecutor and an author have a lot in common. They take the characters’ (or witnesses’) stories (or testimony) and create a compelling story. If his closing statements are as compelling as his novels, it’s no wonder he was such a successful attorney!

Turow’s newest book, Innocent, is a sequel to Presumed Innocent. Scott said he’d never write a sequel – but that both he and Rusty Savage are in much different places in their lives. I look forward to seeing what’s happened to Rusty in the intervening years.

Next up was Luis Alberto Urrea. I’ve not read any of his books – in fact, I hadn’t really heard of him before this luncheon. With a name like Luis Alberto Urrea, I expected a Hispanic man with an accent. Luis looks of more European descent than Hispanic and he doesn’t have an accent. Luis’ mother was from Staten Island and his paternal grandmother’s lineage was at least partially Irish – her name was Guadalupe Murray.

Luis was an entertaining, funny, and very engaging speaker. His stories had audience of over 700 librarians laughing many, many times during the program. At times his program was also heartbreaking as he related the terrible tragedy of his father’s death.

Another story he told was about his first typewriter – a WWII era typewriter from his mother. He started transferring his handwritten stories into print and loved the fact that the ribbon had both black and red so it looked like his words were on fire! As the pile of pages grew, his mother gathered them up, punched holes, and sewed a binding for it – and Luis had published his first book – and that was just the beginning.

While I still love Scott Turow’s books and will continue to read them, Luis Alberto Urrea’s talk made me want to go out and read all his books right away. They are now all on my To Be Read list.”

Jean Anderson is the Continuing Education/Multitype Coordinator for the South Central Library System in Wisconsin.

by Shonna Froebel

“After our lunch break, we reconvened to listen to the keynote speaker for the workshop, Eisner Award winner Douglas Wolk. After a brief overview of the world of publishing graphic novels, Wolk told us how the people who read this format fall into a variety of tribes, and how many of these tribes are largely unaware of each other. From the traditional “Wednesday” tribe whose members appear weekly at stores to get their latest fix, to the ‘I read a comic once’ people who need to be introduced to the format by the librarian middleman, all of these tribes have their own unique attributes and ways of finding out about new publications.

Wolk also talked about the different markets for graphic novels. From the traditional direct market of comic book stores to the growing market of mainstream bookstores, there are many ways to get access. Libraries are now one of these markets for readers, and we have to learn how to market them appropriately.

One of the most important things for us as librarians to do is to stop thinking and talking about graphic novels as a stepping stone to ‘real reading.’ Graphic novels are a legitimate reading activity in their own right and need to be seen as such. We need to look at them in new ways, think about style, what they show and what they don’t show, and how they are telling the story.

The final portion of the workshop had a panel of comic creators, moderated by Steve Duin, metro columnist for The Oregonian, who has co-authored a book on the history of comics. Farel Dalrymple is an award winning writer and artist. Dylan Meconis also both writes and creates art. Jeff Parker creates his own work as well as doing work for Marvel Comics. Shawna Gore is an editor at Dark Horse Comics who works with many creators. Their discussion included motivation, work habits, career path, and their own favorite works.”

Shonna Froebel is the Manager of Adult Information Services at the Barrie Public Library in Barrie, Ontario. She is the Vice Chair of the OPLA (Ontario Public Library Association) Readers’ Advisory Committee.

by Shonna Froebel

This informative session started with with 3 pieces from a documentary in progress by Western Oregon University professor Shawn Huston. The as-yet-unnamed documentary is on Portland’s comics culture and includes information on the history of the city as well as interviews with different Portland personalities involved in this culture.

This was followed by a lively panel of six librarians. Traci Glass from Eugene Public Library talked about her favorite resources for selection with an emphasis on YA and Children’s. She was followed by Laurel Winter from Multnomah County Library who talked about her system’s experiences, specifically covering how they did programming on this format for staff and how they added public programming to promote the collection.

Bob Renfo, the lead cataloguer from Multnomah County Library, related the system’s experience with cataloguing this format. They do a fair amount of local editing to the copy cataloguing they receive, adding things like original publication notes, changing written volume numbers to numerical so a series displays in volume order, and adding additional subjects, genres, and summary notes. For zines, they often do original cataloguing.

Katie Anderson from Oregon State Library touched on the issue of intellectual freedom and challenges, revealing that graphic novels aren’t actually challenged to the extent one would expect, accounting for only about 3% of challenges reported.
Cathy Camper from Multnomah County Library, a member of the Zine Librarians Group, talked about the zine format and the specific challenges that that format offers.

Jessica Lorentz-Smith, teacher-librarian from Bend High School, ended this panel session with her experiences working with teen readers and her involvement in the ALA Great Graphic Novels for Teens Committee. She discussed ways of marketing this format to teens and how to include the format in book lists for teachers.

Participants were then invited to sit in small groups with one of the panel members to further discuss the issues brought up and share their own stories. I found this one of the most useful portions of this workshop, getting some great ideas I will be using in my own library to promote this format.”

Shonna Froebel is the Manager of Adult Information Services at the Barrie Public Library in Barrie, Ontario. She is the Vice Chair of the OPLA (Ontario Public Library Association) Readers’ Advisory Committee.