Every November, the California Library Association has its annual conference and this year's conference was held in Santa Clara, CA from November 9-11.
I always look forward to attending this conference because it's a chance to reunite with librarian friends that live throughout the state that I don't get to see often as well as meet new librarians and library staff. I love the opportunity to learn new things regarding the library profession as well as being able to have fun and party during the evening through parties as well as the haters ball (librarians vent about library annoyances.)
On my first day in Santa Clara, I attended a free library tour of the Santa Clara City Library. This was fun because not only did I get to hang out with my friends, I also got to add to my ever growing library card collection.
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| Me waiting for the library to open |
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| Me with librarian friends during library tour |
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| Art work inside library |
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Me with new library card
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After the library tour, it was on to the conference hotel and the convention center! I was upgraded to a room with a balcony and a view of Levi Stadium (hubby loved this.) After getting checked in, I went to the opening of the CLA Exhibit Hall which was full of free conference swag. Friday conference was off to a great starts due to an an inspirational keynote address by reporter and author Juan Antonio Vargas.
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| View from hotel balcony |
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| Librarian welcome activity at hotel |
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| CLA President opening exhibit hall |
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| Friday keynote address from Jose Antonio Vargas |
Saturday was a day full of informative sessions which started with an educational and entertaining keynote address by artist/historian Black Gotham creator Kamau Ware. Black Gotham Experience is an immersive visual storytelling project that celebrates the impact of the African Diaspora on New York City since 1625.
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| Kamau Ware discussing Black Gotham project |
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| Artist/Historian Kamau Ware and me after CLA keynote |
After the keynote speaker, I co-presented with my two friends at our five minute mentoring session. During five minute mentoring, we have participants from different library environments talk to each other for five minutes about any professional questions they may have.At this session, I presented on introvert tips for finding a mentor.
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| My Five Minute Mentoring presentation |
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| Five minute mentoring participants conversing |
The day was also one to remember since this was my first time presenting solo at the conference. My presentation was called: If You Build It, Will They Come: Highlighting Urban and LGBTQ Fiction in a Rural Library System.
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| Me before my presentation on Urban and LGBTQ fiction |
Overall, this was a fun memorable conference and I'm looking forward to attending next year's conference in Pasadena, CA.
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