Conference website: http://www.alaannual.org/

Early Bird Registration is open:
ALA Student Member** (All Access 6/22-6/26. Excludes Preconferences and Ticketed Events).
** Join online: http://www.ala.org/membership/aladues
Student membership: $33; Library Support Staff membership: $46.
Early Bird student Registration (by May 13): $95; Advance (by June 14): $120; Daily Fees (Paid onsite only): $92 .

ALA Annual Conference attendance tips from YALSA:
5 Ways to Return Triumphant

[NOTE: these are also useful tips for job applicants!]

From YALSA Blog: Direct link to post:
http://yalsa.ala.org/blog/2012/03/23/ala-annual-5-ways-to-return-triumphant/
reposted from From: [calix] "Jane Gov" <jgov@beverlyhills.org>

With only three short months until the ALA Annual Conference in Anaheim, we hope you’ve taken advantage of Early Bird Registration ($215 for YALSA members until May 13) and marked your calendars for June 21 – 26.

With all of the great programs and events offered by YALSA at the conference, you’re going to soak up a fantastic amount of new and exciting information.
Coming back from ALA Annual, it is typical to be overloaded with two things:
ARCs and ideas.

Conference presentations are inspiring, and the exhibit hall always a place of dreams, but as with anything, the devil is in the details. Here are five tips for making the most of your ALA Annual experience once you return to your library.

1. Know Your Library System
A program that worked beautifully for a rural library that serves a population of 3,000 might need tweaking for your suburban, six-branch systems that serves 30,000. If possible, either during or right after the conference, think of ways to adapt the idea. Going to your supervisor or manager with a way to make the idea/program work for the community you serve, rather than “this worked at Library X!” will increase the likelihood of it happening.

2. Know Your Library’s Hierarchy
What is the management style of your library or library system? Good or bad, most places have a chain of command that should be followed. Jumping a person (or two, or three) makes it less likely that the new Summer Reading Program you’re dying to try will happen. Be respectful of the hierarchy. If your system requires you to inform your immediate supervisor, so that she or he can inform the next person up, and so on, follow every step– even if the Director of your system knows you personally.

3. Know Your Library Community
Implementing a Spanish story time is not going to go over well if the population you serve is predominantly Japanese. However, adapting the idea (see suggestion #1) for your Japanese community could go over very well.

4. Keep Contact Information
Most presenters and vendors are more than happy to give out their contact information. If you’re having trouble getting people get on board with your idea, or you need more information about a product/service/database that you think your library must have, use that contact. Ask the presenter if they have advice, ask the vendor for statistics, take them back to the appropriate channels, and be prepared to do it all again.

5. Be Persistent
The most important thing is to not give up. Follow through with ideas. It may be that your supervisor is happy to implement a new hold shelf method the day after you get back, and it may be that your Summer Reading theme won’t be used for years. Keep at it. You’re adaptable, you know your system, you know your community, and you have all those contacts to make things a success, and you can make it happen.

And in a few years, after you present your brilliant program at ALA, you might get a phone call or an email from another librarian, asking you how you got it done.

See you in Anaheim!

--Posted by YALSA Local Arrangements Committee 2012


**"Student members of ALA are enrolled in MLS/MLIS, NCATE and LTA programs. They are studying to be public, academic, school and special librarians. Some are furthering their studies with post-degree certifications while others are pursuing terminal degrees like doctoral programs. All are eligible for our discounted Student membership dues and each are invited to participate fully in ALA membership during their studies. Student members, whether full- or part- time, are also given the best rates for conference registration – often at discounts as high as 75% off. http://www.ala.org/membership/whoisala/students

California Library Association's 2012 Spring Fling

Fling yourself into spring with CLA’s 4th annual Professional Development and Networking Program!
Spring Fling participants learn new skills, enjoy cultural activities, and find people with shared interests!

Registration discounts are available for CLA members and library students. If you are not a member, we encourage you to join today!

2012 Spring Fling Programs

• SCLLN conference and Writer to Writer Award Ceremony: Saturday Feb 25 (Find out more and sign-up at the SCLLN website)



• Cataloging Musical Scores and Sound Recordings Workshop (in-person and online via WebEx): Friday April 13 Register Today



• Private Tour of the Fashion Institute of Design and Merchandising: Saturday April 14 Register Today



• Work Has Changed, How Do We Survive? Management Training Workshop: Monday April 23 Register Today



• It's Academic! Current Trends, Recruitment, and Opportunities in Academic Libraries (webinar): Tuesday April 24 Register Today



• Web of Languages (webinar): Wednesday, May 30 -- Registration will open soon.
  Bullocks Wilshire/Leigh H. Taylor Law Library Tour: Saturday June 2 Register Today



• Graphic Novels Workshop: Date to be confirmed.
  

Please note:
Your registration for a Spring Fling program constitutes permission to utilize photos taken of you at the event for news, promotion, and similar purposes.
Refunds cannot be issued within three weeks of an event taking place.
All refunds are subject to a $25 processing fee.
Events costing $25 and under are not eligible for refunds.

Networking Tips

I don't know about you but when I think of going to some business or social event to network, I get nervous. But I found that networking really can come up in unexpected situations. Recently, I went to a library student dinner social at a noisy restaurant. Initially, I was not going to make the drive to the San Fernando Valley from the San Gabriel Valley. But in the end, I was quite glad I did. Sitting at my table was this woman who is affiliated with CSU Northridge along with the student Special Libraries organization. One of my cohorts was asking me when I planned to relocate. When she heard where I was planning to relocate, she gave me the name of a library employment agency that I had not heard of. So, of course, I immediately added that possible lead to my organizer.

Today, I came across this article that was posted by a fellow acquaintance in the library field on Facebook today titled "An Introvert's Guide to Networking." While Lisa Petrelli is not in the library field, she does offer a few simple tips for networking along with her story about why networking is so important.

So the next time you are debating whether to go to some social business networking event, remind yourself of the pros rather than the cons. You may not be job hunting now but you never know when a contact made through networking will come handy in the future.

CLA-CSLA Conference - It's Not Too Late!

Still debating whether or not to make the trek to the CLA-CSLA Conference? If you think it's too late to register, students who are CLA (California Library Association) or CSLA (California School Library Association) members still get the same discounted price of $95 registering on-site. If you're not yet a member of either organization, you can sign up while registering. If one just wants to attend the exhibits, the cost is $25 per day.

So, why go? Attending can be a great way to network and see what's new in the library world. Usually, various prospective employers will have booths set up in the exhibit area. Also, if one attends various workshops, this can be an excellent chance to meet other librarians and library staff.

The exhibit area will be open Friday afternoon from 3-6pm, all day Saturday from 10am-4pm and Sunday from 10am-2pm. If you are around Friday afternoon, don't miss the Book Cart Drill Team Competition which is always a hoot to watch! One can also catch the All School Student Social at Camille's Sidewalk Cafe from 6-8pm Friday evening.

I plan to volunteer Friday at the Registration Desk in the afternoon and attend the conference all three days. Hopefully, I'll see some of you there in attendance.

UNT/CSUN LA LISSA First Annual All School Day

Invitation - UNT/CSUN LA LISSA First Annual All School Day.

Please join the UNT/CSUN LA LISSA group at the First Annual All School Day event

Saturday, May 22 from 10-1pm at the Glendale Central Public Library Auditorium in Glendale, CA, http://library.ci.glendale.ca.us/central.asp.

The theme is "Exploring your opportunities: What's at the end of the Rainbow?
A look at the broader spectrum of library careers".

3 hours free parking at Market Place Parking structure with validation. Lunch is $5 cash.

RSVP to untlalissa@gmail.com by May 14 with choice of 1. ham, 2. turkey or 3. vegetarian. We look forward to seeing you there!

The Next Step - First Days II

I started this post awhile back but it got put on hold as my homework seemed to pile up over the course of the semester. Even though I had an inkling of how much work I'd have with grad school, the reality of just how much sank in later.

Networking was the concept that was thrown out a lot during the weekend the UNT/CSUN program started. While getting classroom knowledge is beneficial, networking is what will take you where you want to go. Who you know really can make a difference sometimes.

So how does one go about networking? The first place to start is your classmates. Even when you leave the Library Technology Program, stay in contact with your former classmates. Hopefully, during the program, you've made some great friendships which you make the effort to continue. Sometimes the way I've found out about jobs is through word of mouth. In addition, stay in touch with your former teachers who are in an area of librarianship that you are interested in. Staying in contact with former teachers can be good when you need letters of recommendations or a reference for a job application.


But you don't want to stop there. Join ALA (American Library Association) and CLA (California Library Association). There are student memberships that don't cost a lot so take advantage of those. If you wonder what your memberships can and will do for you, I'll be covering this topic soon.