Librarians, they are good people

It is humid. The World Cup is on. Women in sensible shoes and cat vests are mingling with NextGens sporting tattoos and dyed hair, all vying for advance reader’s copies or a cold beer. It must be a librarian conference!
It has been a couple years since I was really in the swing of an ALA [...]

Notes from UnALA10

These are my notes on the presentations given during the Unconference at ALA. Here is how they came into being:
As a large group (we had over 50 participants!), we brainstormed trending topics in libraries. Topics generated during this ranged from the digital divide to services in libraries. Then, each person was able to vote 5 [...]

Unala is now a morning only event… and you can still come

All my posts these days seem to be about the unconference at ALA. I am hoping to remedy that, tomorrow.
For possibly several reasons, the unconference at ALA has low registration numbers, compared to last year. Perhaps the largest reason is that Friday, and honestly every day at Annual, is packed with many, many great things [...]

Come unala With Us

Something that has the potential to be the most exciting and fun thing happening at ALA Annual this year still has a lot of spaces for people to attend. And it is a free event. And if you come, you will have a large say in what happens, what we talk about, and how what [...]

unala10 Registration Opens May 24th!

Another (Un)Official announcement!
ALA Unconference 2010 or unala10 will be Friday, June 25, 2010 from 9am-4:30pm in room 207A at the Washington Convention Center.
Registration for the ALA Unconference will open on May 24, 2010 at 10am EST/ 9am CST.Registration will be limited to 100 people this year. Once there are 100 people on the [...]

unala10 (Un)Official Call for Volunteers

Can there be official announcements for an unevent? Perhaps.
Mark your calenders, oh you lovers of chaos and fun. ALA Unconference 2010 or unala10 will be Friday, June 25, 2010 from 9am-4:30pm in room 207A at the Washington Convention Center.
This year, I am planning the unconference with the amazing Sean Robinson. Last year, ALA was [...]

Coffee Makes Jane a Better Jane

Some days, I think the only things that remind me that I am, deep down, a nice person are a good cup of coffee and God. I came to the conclusion yesterday, and admitted it to the world on Twitter, that though I do not want to be, I am a morning person. I know; [...]

OPALescence, fun for all

The lack of posting here is due to a bout of bronchitis the Wee Bairn contracted. He has been keeping my hands full of late. Full of his phlegmy sadness. Thankfully, he is on the mend and my time is again my own, off and on.
On Friday, I am moderating an Unconference session at [...]

I Still Have Flair

This has been a very different and interesting conference for me due to Mr. R and the Wee Bairn being with me in Chicago. I am very happy to have them here. In fact, I am certain that I would have been miserable without them.
Having them here has meant that I act more my age. [...]

Taking the ALA out of ALA

After two years of dreaming and wondering if ALA could pull it off, the ALA Unconference is tomorrow! Meredith and I worked hard on this project and it is something that we hope goes well and can be repeated in the future.
So much about the process of planning the Unconference has been wonderful. What [...]