Audio version

2 COGNOTES

2016 ANNUAL CONFERENCE HIGHLIGHTS • ORLANDO

Looking Forward to Seeing You at the 2017 Midwinter Meeting in Atlanta

By Julie B. Todaro, ALA President

I hope you came away from the Annual Conference in Orlando feeling as enriched as I did – enriched by the many brilliant ideas and innovations that are transforming libraries, and by the personal connections made and deepened as we worked together on the future of libraries. Connection and community were especially important at this conference as we shared grief, pain, and anger over the tragic Pulse nightclub shootings two weeks earlier, and expressed support in a variety of heartfelt ways. So much of what took place at the 2016 Annual Conference reminded me once again why the library field and those who work in it are so inspiring. Thank you all for your hard work, creativity, and caring. 

I was honored to be inaugurated as the 2016-17 ALA President at the brunch event on Tuesday, and welcomed the opportunity to share what I hope we’ll accomplish together during my presidential year. I introduced my special focus for the second year of the Libraries Transform campaign – “The Expert in the Library” – and am optimistic about how we’ll find new ways to communicate and emphasize the invaluable role of those who work in libraries, while also developing training tools and resources to help meet continuously changing needs and demands. We’ll be building on Libraries Transform’s excellent foundation since launching one year ago, with more than 3,000 libraries of all types already signed up to participate. 

 It’s your continued engagement that makes ALA effective, and we look forward to that energy again at the 2017  Midwinter Meeting in Atlanta. I’m excited about the new Symposium on the Future of Libraries presented in conjunction with Midwinter that will be included in registration and the usual timeframe, offering three days’ (Saturday, Sunday, Monday) exploration of the many futures for academic, public, school and special libraries. Sponsored by ALA’s Center for the Future of Libraries, the symposium will consider the near-term trends already inspiring innovation in libraries, and the longer-term trends that will help us adapt to the needs of our communities. I’m looking forward to the discussions with experts and innovative thinkers from allied professions and disciplines sharing their visions for the future as they help us think beyond our current work. In addition to building on library professionals’ expanding expertise, the Symposium will also integrate and expand on current content that highlights innovations and advances in libraries, such as the ALA Masters Series, News You Can Use updates, and Ignite Sessions. You can learn more about the Symposium on page 9.

And of course there are the familiar highlights to look forward to at Midwinter – exciting speakers, authors, and thought leaders, hundreds of discussions on top-of-mind topics,          pre-Midwinter Institutes, “deep dive” workshops, exciting book award announcements, and the Exhibit Hall, with dozens of events and authors and more than 400 exhibitors showcasing the latest technologies, titles, services, and products.

Please join us January 19-24 for the 2017 Midwinter Meeting & Exhibits in Atlanta, and then June 23-28 for the Annual Conference & Exhibition in our association’s home city of Chicago. Book early to get discounted earlybird registration rates – Midwinter registration and housing open September 7, and Annual opens in January, 2017. I look forward to seeing you at both events, and in the meantime, here’s to our ongoing collaboration on helping libraries transform.

Guerrero Encourages People to use their Voices for Change

Guerrero described the book as a kind of coming out – an opportunity to share an experience that, for her, has been deeply scarring.

By Talea Anderson, Washington State University

Noted actor Diane Guerrero appeared as the featured speaker at the ALA President’s Program on June 26 at the ALA Annual Conference, discussing her recently published memoir, In a Country We Love: My Family Divided.

Guerrero spoke about her experience as the daughter of undocumented immigrants who were later deported to Colombia. She described the book as a kind of coming out – an opportunity to share an experience that, for her, has been deeply scarring. Guerrero contrasted her recent successes in “Orange Is the New Black” and “Jane the Virgin” to her feeling of helplessness as a child. “I still have nightmares,” she admitted. “I wake up screaming.” Guerrero recalled that libraries were a safe haven for her when she was young – “like a church or a hospital.” Her parents often spoke worriedly about “documents” or “papeles” and when she begged her father for “papeles” of her own, he took her to the public library to get a library card. “I wanted to be legit,” she said, and her father always assured her that she would be safe at the library. Guerrero stayed behind in the United States when her family was deported to Colombia – and she ultimately found success – but she noted that few immigrant children are as fortunate as she was. When left behind, some take to the streets and some go into the penal system. She described her book as an effort to advocate on behalf of these children. “I want people to realize that they have a voice and to use it,” she said.

Guerrero encouraged the audience to act for political change or to support advocacy groups like the IRC and Women Step Forward. Speaking about the Orlando shootings, she said, “My heart goes out to the victims and the victims’ families, but this is a chance to stand up and make change.” In addition to Guerrero’s talk, the ALA President’s Program included presentations of awards to libraries and librarians for their outstanding achievements and contributions to the profession. For more about ALA awards, see http://www.ala.org/awardsgrants.