Becky's PLA Schedule in Person and Blog Plans

Today I am enroute to PLA, so I prepared this post before I left with some key information about where I will be and what I am most interested in seeing at PLA.

However, this post is NOT only for those who are attending the conference. I will be turning my notes into recaps on Thursday, Friday, and Saturday. The posts will be a day behind. So Thursday, that will be my Wednesday recap, Friday my Thursday recap, and Saturday my Friday recap. I realize it is a bit confusing, but I want to be as clear as possible about what you can expect. Also, you will not have to wait until Monday 4/8 for Friday's recap.

So while this post (or the PLA app where I made my schedule public) is a great way to see what I will be, it is also a great guide to see what I will be writing about in more detail in the coming days. Of course, things always come up at conference and there may be things I want to attend and don't or things that I find out about that seem better than what I had previously planned. The key to conferencing is to stay flexible.

Finally, if you are attending, come find me. I have pens and stickers for anyone who asks.

Enough preamble. Let's talk schedule.

First up a note from ALA Editions who will have my book and Robin's book available with discounts:

Those of you attending the Public Library Association (PLA) Conference in Columbus April 3rd to 5th can meet our staff at the ALA Store. Its location in the Greater Columbus Convention Center will be Booth #612. We will have many of our titles available to purchase in person at PLA and many others available at special online rates for conference registrants. Ask about our virtual sale promotions when you visit the ALA Store in Columbus!

Next up, my planned schedule via the official things on the app. Anyone can learn more about these sessions here, you do not need to log in. I am simply posting the titles and locations. If you want to know more BEFORE I attend things, go here to see the entire schedule with session descriptions. 

Wednesday:

• 8:30 AM - 10:00 AM EDT GCCC Hall A Opening Session with Shola Richards
• 10:15 AM - 11:15 AM EDT GCCC Union Station C Anti-racist Reader Services: Beyond the Basics
• This is my session with Yaika Sabat and Robin Bradford. I will have a post about it and the slides along with other things we are doing in conjunction with NoveList during the conference as tomorrow's post
• 11:30 AM - 12:30 PM EDT GCCC C160-162AB RA Meets AI: Building and Launching a Reader’s Advisory Kiosk.
• 3:00 PM - 6:00 PM EDT GCCC Exhibits Hall Exhibits Opening Reception
• I will be there for just a short time because I have an event with the person who did my library's Strategic Plan and then a dinner.

Thursday:

• 8:00 AM - 9:00 AM EDT GCCC Hall A Big Ideas with Ta-Nehisi Coates
• 9:00 AM - 10:30 AM EDT GCCC Exhibits Hall - Book Buzz Stage Book Buzz Stage: Adult Publishers
• 10:15 AM - 11:15 AM EDT GCCC Union Station A Building Pathways to Diverse Librarianship and Leadership
• 10:15 AM - 11:15 AM EDT GCCC B230-235 Equitable Collections Use: Is Floating the Answer or a Hindrance?
• Yes I have 2 things scheduled at 10:15. I know. We will see which I go to. Also I often divide and conquer with colleagues. And if I know someone is going to one, I may go to the other and ask for their notes on the one I missed. 
• 11:30 AM - 12:30 PM EDT GCCC Union Station A Changing Subject Headings for a More Inclusive Library
• 2:00 PM - 3:00 PM EDT GCCC A110-115 Book Buzz: Presented by Booklist
• 3:30 PM - 3:50 PM EDT GCCC Exhibits Hall - How-To Stage HOW TO Build a Virtual Readers' Advisory Website
• 4:00 PM - 5:00 PM EDT GCCC A110-115 Diversifying Your Displays and Book Lists
• 5:00 PM - 6:30 PM EDT GCCC Battelle Grand Ballroom All-Conference Happy Hour
• 5:30 PM GCCC Room C150-51 Your Evening is Booked: a LibraryReads Panel
• This one is not on the schedule but is open to any and all PLA attendees. For more details, visit the Events page on the LibraryReads site here.

Also on Thursday, Robin and I will be at the NoveList Booth [2123] from 12-1 on Thursday to have more private conversations about the challenges you are facing in regards to Anti-Racist Services to Leisure Readers. More information during our session about this and in the slides. 

Friday:

• 8:00 AM - 9:00 AM EDT GCCC Hall A Big Ideas with Mary Annaïse Heglar
• 10:15 AM - 11:15 AM EDT GCCC A110-115 Pivoting to Meet New Censorship Tactics
• 11:30 AM - 12:30 PM EDT GCCC C170-172 African American Isn’t a Genre: Collecting and Promoting Black Books
• 11:30 AM - 12:30 PM EDT GCCC Short North AB Reimagining Public Service and Staffing Models with Flexibility Top of Mind
• 12:30 PM - 2:00 PM EDT GCCC Exhibits Hall - Book Buzz Stage Book Buzz Stage: Adult Publishers
• 1:30 PM - 2:00 PM EDT GCCC Exhibits Hall Exhibits Closing Reception
• 2:15 PM - 3:15 PM EDT GCCC Union Station A After the Audit: Sustainable Steps to Maintaining a Diverse Collection
• 2:15 PM - 3:15 PM EDT GCCC C160-162AB Is a Bigger Collection Better? The Relationship between Collection Size and Access Equity
• 3:30 PM - 4:30 PM EDT GCCC Union Station C Curating Diverse Community Collections for Patron Engagement
• 3:30 PM - 4:30 PM EDT GCCC C160-162AB Read Romance/Fight Patriarchy
• 3:30 PM - 4:30 PM EDT GCCC A210-215 Rethinking Dewey (Dewey or Don't We?)
• 3:30 PM - 4:30 PM EDT GCCC C170-172 The Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Toolbox
• 5:00 PM - 6:00 PM EDT GCCC Hall A Closing Session with Dulcé Sloan

As you can see, my Friday is very double-booked. I am also staying until the very end; in fact, over the last few PLA Conferences, I have seen some of the best presentations for the entire conference on the afternoon of the last day.

Finally, I have not noted when I will be roaming the exhibit hall, besides when Robin and I are working at the NoveList Booth, but I will be spending time there to visit the publishers and such.

And, I mean this, if you see me, even if we have never met but you know me from Twitter or read my blog, please stop me and say "Hi." It is not weird. It happens multiple times a day, every day at conferences. I want to meet you. I have met some of my favorite library people this way. Plus, I will give you stickers and a pen if you stop me. You know who I am but I do not know who you are....yet. Let's change that.

Now let's do this PLA. 

Back tomorrow with a post all about my Wednesday presentation including slide access.