Back to ALA. Other programs that I attended at ALA (in addition to the program that Michelle Bayuk and I did for ALA/PLA newbies):

• PrimeTime: Family Reading Time. This is a NEH funded program that began in Louisiana to promote reading in families. It is a cross generational program that intends to improve reading and comprehension skills in children while encouraging families to read out loud together and to talk about what they read. The program has been so successful in Louisiana that it has spread to forty other states with 887 sites in all. Maryland is not one of the states that have used the program. Recently they began an additional program targeted at families where Spanish is the primary language.
• A program on sister libraries. This goes back to when Sarah Long was ALA President and encourages libraries to form relationships with libraries in other countries. I had a difficult time hearing what the speakers were saying, but I picked up a detailed brochure on what to think about and how to get started.
• A LITA program on technical trends. This was interesting after the ULC program because they actually did demonstrate some of the technological trends that they discussed. In addition to the panelists, they had two people at other sites who were shown on one giant screen, plus they were using twitter so that people could make comments on the program as it was going on. They reduced the lighting to make it easier to read the screens, which meant for me that I had a hard time concentrating on the live speakers because their faces were in shadow. So instead I concentrated on the twitter comments. However they ranged all over the map with some comments on what the panelists were saying but also on the technical problems that were occurring with the off site speakers, general observations and comments like one of the speakers had a new haircut. As observing a techinique, it was all very interesting, but I don't think I know much more about technical trends than I did before. After the LITA program, Joe Janes gave another talk. Although he used several themes that he had used at the ULC conference, the focus of this talk was on the expandability of the library experience. It can be a real space or a virtual space. He is a lively speaker, so it was enjoyable, but he didn't say anything terrible new. There was also a panel of reactors who were also lively, but they didn't say anything particularly new either.
• I also attended the reception for ALA/APA where they recognized people who had supported the nascent organization either through donations or sweat equity. They also recognized the first recipients of the certification program that is one of ALA/APAs main responsibilities.