Musings on Conferences, Washington DC and comfortable shoes

I just got back from the American Library Association Conference in Washington DC. The Conference was a busy one for me - I am a member of a few ALA Division Committees, and I had lots of meetings while I was there. I was moving from Hotel to Convention Center to Hotel to meeting all weekend. I was lucky this year - I had learned my lesson and brought a variety of shoe choices - all comfortable and field tested. (I still managed to get a blister on the top of both feet. In Danskos no less. Even good shoes have trouble staying comfortable in DC weather!)

I enjoy conferences for the new ideas and inspiration that are always part of the conference buzz. The exhibit halls are full of new products and services - I saw everything from a new mechanized library kiosk called Branch Everywhere to traditional book trucks and library furniture. I saw new Self Service Check out systems and complicated library sorting systems, that automate and streamline some basic functions. I spoke with lots of vendors about what they do and how they can help us.

One of the newer vendors is a company called Library Ideas, and they have a new music service called Freegal. Freegal lets library patrons download songs from the Sony music catalog. For free. The Library subscribes and sets up the number of downloads everyone is allowed during a week. A few California libraries have already signed up for the service. I think it is worth watching - we buy music CDs, but with the IPods and the IPads out there, downloading music is the way things are going. So why not provide library patrons an opportunity to download content?

This summer there was lots of commiseration at Conference - about the weather (HOT and muggy. DC was built on a swamp) and about the economy. All libraries, of all kinds, are tightening budgets and really taking a hard look at what we do, how we do it and how to move forward to better support our communities. Not all the news was grim - people love their libraries and they are using us more and more. On Tuesday, I was wearing a bright red t shirt urging people to VOTE FOR LIBRARIES as I was visiting legislators in the Capital, and a number of people asked me about the T shirt. They all expressed their appreciation of libraries and wanted to know where they could get the shirt! Tax measures specifically to support libraries have passed in Marin County, San Rafael, Ohio and in many other parts of the country. Some budget cuts have been put off in places like Boston and New Jersey. So there are some signs of hope.

One thing I know for sure, we have to keep on doing what we do because we do make a difference and our communities are enriched by our efforts. Libraries all across the country are making a difference everyday thanks to the efforts of my peers and colleagues in the profession.