The American Library Association Annual Conference is all set for this year. The conference, happening in San Francisco from June 25-30, could be the biggest gathering of librarians across the country. Publisher's Weekly dubbed the conference as the "Summer of Love" and reports that at least 20,000 participants are expected to join in the conference that coincides with the city's annual Gay Pride Parade on June 28 which also attracts hundreds of tourists each year.
Among the highlights in the five-day-long conference are the speakers' engagements. Authors Gloria Steinem, Haifaa al-Mansour, Sarah Vowell, and comedian-author Nick Offerman are scheduled to make appearances, alongside Joshua Davis, Edwidge Danticat, and Sonia Manzano from June 26 through 29. Book exhibits will also be up on display for conference participants.
The ALA awards are also part of the conference's highlights, where NBA Hall of Famer and accomplished author Kareem Abdul-Jabbar will be the keynote speaker. Abdul-Jabbar has long been an advocate of public libraries and their importance to city youths. The awarding ceremony will be held in the afternoon of June 29, wherein the winners for the following wards will be announced: Margaret Edwards Award, Andrew Carnegie Medals for Excellence in Fiction and Nonfiction, while the Coretta Scott King Book Awards will be celebrated during the annual Sunday breakfast, while the winners of the Newbery, Caldecott, and Wilder medals for outstanding work on children's literature will be held in the evening of June 28.
Critical issues facing modern libraries will also be discussed during the ALA Washington Office Update on June 27. The panel will consist of Electronic Frontier Foundation executive director Cindy Cohn and managing director for ALA Government Relations Adam Eisgrau.
E-book concerns and other issues on the literary digital front will also be discussed during the ALA Office of Information Update on June 29. Among the speakers to hold session under this topic are Carolyn Anthony, director of Skokie Public Library, and Erika Linke, Carnegie Mellon University Libraries associate dean.
Interested participants can register online via the conference's official website. Aside from access to exhibits, panel sessions, and other conference events, participants can also get the program book and the conference's official bag, among other great freebies upon full registration. Interested participants can still avail of advance ticket price until June 19. Onsite ticket prices range from $60 (for exhibits only) up to $300, while daily fees are also available starting at $165 for ALA members.
Visit alaac15.org for more detailed schedule of the the conference events and other highlights. See you there!