With no required meetings to attend I took the opportunity to drop in on business meetings to understand better how ALA functions. Equity, diversity and inclusion EDI) were the key words of the day.
I began the morning at the ALSC leadership meeting where addressing anti-bias education, equity, diversity, inclusion, race relations, and more.
Afterwards, I took a lap or two around the exhibit hall. It wasn’t very busy and I was able to talk to reps and get my hands on a couple of ARCS I wanted.
After a little lunch (a bagel & cream cheese from my hotel food stash) I went to sit in on the discussions held by the 2019 Children’s Notable Books Committee. Unlike awards committees which are closed meetings, Notables is open. Publishers often sit in when their books are being discussed. A publisher was sitting next to me. When her books were being discussed she took notes, I also noticed her taking notes when committee members talked generally about good and bad features of texts for children.
From there, I went to the YALSA Strategic Planning meeting, which was open. I honestly thought more people were going to be there, but when I walked in, only one other person was sitting in the audience. The Board was doing some reflection around EDI and their mission, with a pair of facilitators. As I settled in my seat one of them came over and let me know what was going on. He also told me they’d be doing an activity shortly and I was welcome to participate. In for a penny, in for a pound!
I went back to the exhibit hall – I’d only seen half in the morning. I was on a mission for bookmarks. It makes me nuts when my students dog-ear or lay them down open with the spine up. When i walked past a table with bookmarks, I grabbed a little stack. And they added up.
The Youth Media Awards are Monday morning. You can watch the livestream here.
booksandbassets 