November 11 and 12, 2007!!

By Sandy Kelly

If you follow LM_NET discussions you have probably formed your own opinion about the topic that school libraries are becoming obsolete. Is that really possible? Well according to many, yes, it is!

How does one respond to this? For some it is to complain, for others it is to defend how hard we work. Some choose to get actively involved in professional organizations and legislative efforts, but the one thing EVERYONE should be doing is staying on top of the topics and innovations that are continually evolving around us. Call it professional development. Call it job protection. Call it being an educational leader in your school. Any way you look at it, to be effective in our jobs we need to be informed! It is hard but the alternative will not be any better.

So how to you learn to stay current and effective in your job????

GO TO THE MSLA CONFERENCE - School Libraries in a 2.0 World!

Mark the date on your calendar right now…. November 11-12, 2007

At the Sturbridge Host Hotel.

Your conference planning committee has gone all out to bring to you the best upcoming professional opportunity. Together we will look into the crystal ball.

This year will bring both the best from the past and some of the newest refreshing faces.

Sunday will have 3 morning sessions and they will repeat again in the afternoon so you can choose 2 that appeal to you. Chris Harris will be back by popular demand, with a new presentation, new technologies and the best ideas on how to implement them into your program. Two newcomers are Allison Zmuda and Meredith Farkas. Allison works with Wiggins and McTighe authors of the Understanding by Design curriculum planning model. She recently spoke at the AASL conference held last fall in Providence and she is bright, innovative and very motivational. Meredith writes the new technology column in American libraries, an ALA publication and will bring us her own fresh perspective. In March 2006, she was named a Library Journal Mover and Shaker for her passion for playing with technology and sharing what she’s learned with others. Look at her “Information Wants to be Free” blog.

The President’s reception will be in full swing Sunday afternoon with many new local authors, representing a wide range of genres and reading levels. So many people enjoyed our live entertainment last year that City of Roses will return again to play for this event and a cash bar will be available. Sunday dinner brings us special guest, Brian Kenney, editor of School Library Journal. Brian will share with us his knowledge on what he sees coming our way. He is not to be missed! Dessert anyone? Yes, Randy Testa will spoil us once again by providing dessert and sneak previews of Walden Media’s upcoming arrivals. The entire day will be a wonderful chance to network with colleagues, receive current information from some of the best and freshest faces in our field and just have some fun.

Monday will continue with a packed agenda of speakers: Pat Keogh will update us on What’s New in Children’s Lit, our regional library system colleagues have a wide range of options for us to choose from, the Center for the Book will return and meet Sarah Kelly Johns the president of the American Association of School Librarians who will update us on the new ALA/AASL Information Standards.

Many of us have the good fortune of having that Monday off as a holiday with no need to worry about taking personal time off or missing classes! We are also working up a list of local options for those who might enjoy making this a family weekend in beautiful Sturbridge. On Veterans Day, Sturbridge Village will offer unique programs and demonstrations honoring America's military history, with special discounts for active service members and their families. In addition to the Village, there are also parks, museums and hiking areas. Watch for future details about this.

And…WIN A CHANCE FOR FREE REGISTRATION… RECRUIT A NEW MEMBER AND BOTH WILL BE ENTERED INTO A DRAWING FOR A FREE DAY’S REGISTRATION AT THE CONFERENCE!!!

Save that date and watch the conference website for details as they emerge. This is a fun conference with wonderful vendors, excellent presentations and fantastic colleagues! Do it for yourself.