Today and tomorrow I’m wearing my hat as LITA Divisional Councilor for the American Library Association at the fall divisional and executive board meetings of ALA. I am having a great time at this meeting, learning a lot, absorbing, sharing, seeing quite a few old friends, meeting new people. (It doesn’t hurt that the meeting hotel, the Omni Ambassador East in Chicago, is an elegant place with big fat pillows and free wi-fi.)
I am taking notes through various meetings, but rather than con-grunt them here experientially, I’ll summarize tomorrow, possibly from O’Hare as I wait to head back to the Bay Area. Right now we’re talking about core values for the association, which is more interesting than it sounds. These are distinct from core values for librarianship.
At any rate: mull over this. I’m in a room with about 100 movers and shakers from all over ALA. These are the people who determine the direction of our flagship professional association, which in turn has a powerful influence on how we perceive ourselves in this profession and how we are perceived by others. Do you see yourself in this room? And how do you get here?
And that’s your assignment for today!
Posted on this day, other years:
- American Libraries Opens its Doors - 2008
- Libraries, Google, OCA make first page of the New York Times - 2007
- It's After Apple-Picking Time - 2006
- ALA and New Orleans: So Just Go, O.k.? - 2005
I don’t see myself in that room, as I find ALA to be much too large and bulky for my purposes. However, I do see myself in a professional leadership position someday. It will probably be in NASIG. The best way to get there that I’ve seen is to network and speak up. It’s the vocal ones who tend to be remembered best. I should note that it is best to have useful input.