PLA Preview 2008: Lean and Green

PLA's 12th National Conference, Minneapolis, March 25–29

By Rebecca Miller -- Library Journal, 3/1/2008

If you ever thought a clone could come in handy, the biennial Public Library Association (PLA) meeting would be a good place to use it. This March 25–29, at the Minneapolis Convention Center, an expected 6000-plus librarians will have almost 200 programs, table talks, and special events from which to choose. The well-organized schedule, divided into tracks (e.g., marketing, administration/leadership, facilities, serving adults, etc.), packs each day, leaving breaks to visit the exhibits or just pal around with colleagues.

Don't expect to pick up a pile of handouts to peruse on the plane home, however, as PLA is going green by making this a paperless conference. Instead, download them before, during, or after the show. PLA is also stepping up for members who can't attend by offering a remote option: the PLA 2008 Virtual Conference promises panels, poster sessions, workshops, and social time. If PLA can pull it off, it will be a huge boon to members whose budgets won't stretch to make the trip. Go to the web site to register.

With so much to choose from, the choices below disregard preconference sessions that cost extra. There's a wealth of options, however, especially for those who can divide and conquer the competitive agenda.

March 25 & March 26
Preconference 15: Sustaining Libraries Symposium
The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation is sponsoring this two-day sustainability preconference—free to the first 200 registrants—that will tap the power in the PLA advocacy tool kit.

Wednesday, March 26
10:30 a.m.–noon
Nancy Pearl Presents “Book Buzz”
If you're in town early enough and not caught up at a preconference, check out readers' advisory (RA) guru Pearl as she identifies the top books from the major publishers.

2:30–4 p.m.
Opening General Session with John Wood (Exhibit Hall E)
Wood, author of Leaving Microsoft to Change the World (HarperCollins), did just that. His Room To Read organization sponsors thousands of schools and libraries in developing countries. Hearing him will be an inspirational start to the conference.

8:30–10:30 p.m.
Authors, Chocolate & Champagne (Salon C, Hotel Minneapolis; $20 ticket at www.folusa.org or booth #1641)
FOLUSA's desert extravaganza will include readings by authors Charles Baxter, John Coy, Ceridwen Dovey, Leif Enger, Catherine Friend, Chuck Logan, Gary Moore, and Kao Kalia Yang—and they'll sign their free, or greatly discounted, books, too.

Thursday, March 27
8:30–9:45 a.m. & 4–5:15 p.m.
Authors Readers Theatre (M100 A–C)
The traditional author reading gets a twist here, with staged performances by Avi, Sarah Weeks, Brian Selznick, and Pam Muñoz Ryan.

8:30–9:45 a.m.
Why We Borrow! Redesigning Libraries by Learning from Successful Retail Practices (L100 D–G)
San José PL presents the findings of a service study by Paco Underhill, of Why We Buy fame. Then, if you want more, plan to hit “Creating Dynamic Library Atmospheres: What We Can Learn from Theater, Retail, Museums, and the Container Store” at 4 p.m. (Main Auditorium) or “What's the Big Idea? The Idea Store and the Future of Public Libraries” (Fri., 2 p.m., 101 D–G).

Bridging the Gap: Library Services to Latinos (Auditorium Rm. 1)
Those looking to spark up their services to Latinos can learn a lot from the folks at Athens Regional Library System, GA, who worked with a three-year IMLS grant. Send that twin over to Auditorium Rm. 2 for LJ Mover & Shaker and Críticas blogger Loida García-Febo and others on immigration reform and the impact on libraries at “Caught in the Middle: Immigration Controversy and Library Services.”

What Does It Take To Be Good at Reference in the Age of Google? (101 D–G)
Google lives and so does reference. Learn how to be more effective with the many new tools available in this networked world.

The Digital Revolution and Libraries—Where Are We and What's Next? (101 A–C)
What's happening with public libraries and connectivity? Hear the results of a multiyear study of the challenge of sustainability.

10:30–11:45 a.m.
Making Cities Stronger: Public Library Contributions to Local Economic Development (101 D–G)
Local honchos Amy Ryan (Hennepin Cty. Lib.) and Mayor R.T. Rybak join folks from the Urban Libraries Council to share some of the key initiatives that are making libraries matter even more in the region.

The Disconnected: Who Are They? How Can We Help Them (L100 H–J)
“The Disconnected” are the adults 18–24 who don't have jobs and don't go to school, and there are an estimated 3.8 million of them. Libraries can help them connect—here's how.

Noon–1:45 p.m.
Author Luncheons (tickets required)
Pat Mora (Dona Flor and Tomas and the Library Lady) and illustrator Raúl Colón headline the Children's Author Luncheon, while travel-savvy Arthur and Pauline Frommer of Frommer's travel guides fame spice up the Adult Author Luncheon.

2–3:15 p.m.
Sexy Senior Progamming @ Your Library (L100 D–G)
Mary Mullen and Ing Kalchthaler, from Bethel Park PL, PA, promise “way-outside-the-box ideas” for serving seniors.

Take Your Online Services to the Next Level: Audio, Video, and More! (208 A–D)
Want AV on your web site? Denver PL's Michelle Jeske shows you how to do it well.

4–5:15 p.m.
Public Libraries as Community Problem Solvers (101 D–G)
Hear about three partnerships between libraries and community organizations that make local solutions for local problems.

Readers' Advisory Tool Kit III: Market Driven Readers' Advisory Skills—Promote the Backlist, Plan a Genre Study, and Track the Buzz of Books; Three More Skills To Increase Your Effectiveness as an RA Librarian (L100 D–G)
Good RA keeps the books moving. Here LJ Mover & Shaker and contributor Neal Wyatt, RA guru Joyce Saricks, and Alaska's Georgine Olson expand on their tool kits from past PLAs. Check out other RA programming on Friday at 10:30 a.m. (“When the Story Is True: Practicing Nonfiction Readers' Advisory”) and Saturday at 8:30 a.m. (“The Memoir: The Readers' Advisor's Dream or Nightmare”).

Dewey or Don't We (208 A–D)
A branch of Maricopa County Library District, Phoenix, threw Dewey out to embrace a bookstore model. Hear how they did it and how it's going.

6–8:30 p.m.
Audio Publishers Association Dinner (ticket required; Hilton Minneapolis)
Audio takes center stage at this gala dinner, with narrator Scott Brick, author Jacqueline Winspear, and Books on Tape's Dan Musselman.

Friday, March 28
8:30–9:45 a.m.
Lobbying for Regular Folk (M100 A–C)
Need some help when it comes to talking up your library to local pols? Get tips on everything from what to wear to what to say and how.

Building the Library's Future—Facility Master Planning (101 A–C)
Get the big picture and some brass tacks on planning for a new building or branches from Sacramento PL's Anne Marie Gold and Oakland PL's Carmen Martinez and architects David Schnee and Kari Holmgren.

Ins and Outs of Community Surveys (208 A–D)
Do 'em, and you'll learn something; do 'em right, and you'll learn even more. Two consultants offer insights into planning and conducting surveys.

Gamers in the Stacks! (L100 D–G)
Gaming is hot, and it's not just for kids. Hear more from consultant Beth Gallaway, or hold off until 10:30 and go hear about Minneapolis PL's Game Studio and Teen Squad instead (“The Game Studio: 21st Century Technologies for 21st Century Teens,” Auditorium Rm. 2).

10:30–11:45 a.m.
Mystery Authors Revealed! (L100 D–G)
The Association of American Publishers and LJ, in cahoots with major publishers, bring together mystery writers T. Jefferson Parker (L.A. Outlaws, Dutton), C.J. Box (Blue Heaven, Minotaur: St. Martin's), Linwood Barclay (No Time for Goodbye, Bantam), Karen Rose (Scream for Me, Grand Central), and Laura Lippman (Another Thing To Fall, Morrow) to share insights into the genre.

Customizing Customer Self-Service (L100 H–J)
Self-service differs from library to library.Queens Library's Thomas Galante and others discuss the range of options.

Dangerous Ideas: What If Libraries... (Main Auditorium)
Omaha PL's Rivkah Sass and compadres think big and throw out some challenges with new approaches to library service.

Noon–1:45 p.m.
Author Luncheons (tickets required)
Novelist, poet, memoirist, bookseller, and Minnesotan Louise Erdrich will talk about her work and her forthcoming novel, The Plague of Doves (HarperCollins), at the Adult Author Luncheon. Those looking for clues about YA titles can tuck into lunch with Nancy Pearl as she shares insights from her Book Crush: For Kids and Teens; Recommended Reading for Every Mood, Moment, and Interest (Sasquatch).

2–3:15 p.m.
InQUEERY; or, Out of the Stacks (Auditorium Rm. 3)
Get ideas here about how to collect to serve the LGBT community, whether or not you already attended “1 in 10: Reaching Out to the LGBT Community” (Thu., 10:30 a.m., Auditorium Rm. 2).

Mission Impossible—Build Your Own ILS (L100 H–J)
The open source ILS is becoming a reality in public libraries. Here, Howard County's Brian Auger and Georgia PL's Julie Walker share their hands-on perspectives.

4–5:15 p.m.
Catastrophe Readiness and Response: Proactive Roles for Public Libraries (L100 A–C)
As a core public service, libraries are often right there when trouble strikes; here's a look into being an active partner in a community's response and recovery to disaster.

What's Love Got To Do with It? (M101)
If you're still trying to get your head around why romance rockets out of the library, Scottsdale PL's John Charles will woo you to the genre with this conversation with three romance authors (unnamed at press time). If you're a longtime fan, you know the fun you'll have.

7–9 p.m.
All Conference Reception (Ballroom A–B)
Bring your badge and be ready to party, with live music, lots of food, and a cash bar.

Saturday, March 29
8:30–9:45 a.m.
Working with Difficult Patrons (101 A–C)
Get practical help on how to cope with tough day-to-day situations with tougher patrons, with an eye toward creating positive outcomes.

Creating New Stories and Investigating New Literacies with Virtual Worlds, Interactive Media, and Games (101 F–G)
Two tech whizzes from the Public Library of Charlotte and Mecklenburg County, NC, get excited about new literacies—and their potential for libraries—that come from gaming, virtual worlds, and interactive media.
10:15–11:30 a.m.

Libraries as Greenbuildings—What Are You in For? And What's in It for You! (208 A–D)
Learn about the pros and cons of building green and how LEED certification fits in.

Superheroes to Serial Killers: Librarians in Literature (Ballroom B)
The love/hate relationship with stereotypes continues at this presentation on how librarians have shown up in popular literature.

From Hype to Help: Making a Difference with New Technologies (101 A–C)
Webjunction's Marilyn Mason, LJ Mover & Shaker Helene Blowers (PL of Charlotte & Mecklenburg Cty., NC) and others tap into the benefits of using online tools to foster creativity and work together better.

11:45 a.m.–1 p.m.
Closing Session with Kevin Nealon (The Auditorium)
You may know him from Saturday Night Live, or from Weeds; either way, you know he's odd—and funny. He'll send you and your doppelganger home laughing as he talks about his new book, Yes, You're Pregnant, but What About Me? (HarperCollins).

Author Information

Rebecca Miller is Executive Editor, LJ