When Librarians Converge

So, as Elmer Fudd would say "It's vewwy, vewwy quiet."

It's almost as silent as last year around this time...you know, when a certain teen wizard was making his final stand against the forces of evil? Our Inboxes aren't being inundated with messages, arguments about the best self-checkout machines are on time-out and we all know why...it's because there are about 23,000 librarians camped out across the street from "the happiest place on earth", and let me tell you, we are one noisy group!

Of course we all know that the real happiest place is at the Anaheim Convention Center because that's where all the FREE BOOKS are!

Yes, there are librarians crawling over each other to get to the ARCs we've all been waiting for. Cries of victory are heard and much jumping up and down is done when a particularly good find is made.

Where else but at the ALA Conference are you going to see librarians stalking Brian Selznick or Cecil Castellucci with the same enthusiasm as paparazzi following Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie out of Mr. Chows.

The guys at the Unshelved booth are selling "Frequently Asked Questions" tee-shirts and reminding people that "What happens in Storytime, stays in Storytime". It's invigorating and stimulating and renews your faith in the profession (for a few weeks at least) Grad-School friends see each other (surreptitiously checking out name tags for a refresher).

Much catching up is done and opinions are given and gladly received. I went to the conference in Chicago right after my first year of school; it was a magical experience. The feeling of camaraderie and support is so essential in this field. You get a chance to hear new ideas and be inspired by your colleagues. I think that conferences are probably one of the most important things you can participate in as a librarian or really in any profession. I met someone in D.C. last year that I now get to work with and hang out with regularly.

I always tell people to expand their horizons by going to the seminars outside of their particular field in order to explore the other aspects of the library and information world. If something looks interesting, GO! One of the most powerful panels I ever saw was about Intellectual Freedom and the P.A.T.R.I.O.T. Act and how it affected one government employee’s life.

Is it something that I apply directly to my job now? No. But just having the knowledge in my head has colored the way I view my job and the world. Of course these panels are great and who can say anything bad about free books? But really, we all know what the most important part of the Conference really is...

The Book Cart Drill Team Contest!

What's that you say? You've never heard of such a thing? What is a Book Cart Drill Team? Well, you know what a drill team is, right? And you know what a book cart is, right?

Well put them together and you get the single most nerdcore sporting event ever. Presiding over the festivities were Mo Willems and Jon Scieszka. They entertained the crowd, conducted interviews and provided color commentary while the judges tallied their scores.

This year much fuss was made over the Delaware Diamonds who have dominated the competition in past years but those lovely ladies (and one gentleman) were thwarted by the upstart Well Stacked Librarians of the Santa Monica Public Library, maybe it was the home team advantage, maybe it was because they were Mo Willems' favorite (though we hear he says that to everyone!) or it could have been the dry ice, the costume changes and the three-song medley.

Whatever it was, these amazing people moonwalked their way to victory and got to take home the golden book cart! Through out the competition we were able to see just exactly how much creativity (and copious amounts of practice time) librarians really have, I like to imagine them in the parking lot of the library, or in their living rooms practicing, practicing, practicing.

There were pinwheels, there were catch and release routines, carts were spun on one wheel. Librarians surfed on carts, did splits on carts, wore sequins and lab coats, and the singing was amazing! James bond brawled with a nameless enemy, mad scientists mixed potions before moonwalking to victory and bikini tops were whipped off!

And in case you haven't realized from this posting...Yes I was there, down on the exhibit floor, chasing down arcs, buying shirts and pins, schmoozing and just generally indulging in nerdiness. Was it a short drive or did I brave the airport and the FAA checkpoints to get to sunny California for a quick weekend? I'll never say. But, a special hello goes out to all the lovely people at the LAC/LibGig booth.

Next time I'll try to remember my bluestockings in real life (it was just too hot this weekend!)

-the bookish bluestocking