I’ll be putting on my “occasional journalist” hat again next week, working with the excellent Words & Money team to help cover the ALA 2026 Annual Conference in Chicago!
I’m still working on my overall schedule, but I’ve already picked out a few highlights that I’m planning to get to:
- Library Insights Summit 2026: I’ve wanted to attend this event since it launched, focused on one of my favorite topics: connecting libraries and publishers, with an emphasis on the smaller publishers and authors who have the most potential to be true partners to public libraries, rather than whatever’s happening with corporate publishers right now.
- Beyond Dewey and BISAC: WholeStory’s Natural-Language Approach to Increasing Circulation and Building Patron Knowledge
- Further Together: A Collaborative Approach to Achieving Digital Equity For All
- Indie Titles, Fair Chances: A Selector’s Toolkit for Smart Picks
- Legislation in the States: Update and Discussion
This will be my first ALA where I’m not a vendor and don’t have any exhibit hall responsibilities, which means I can actually prioritize sessions and conversations that focus on topics and people I’m particularly interested in. Covering them as a journalist ensures I’ll take better notes, and I may try to record some short interviews, too.
I’ll be all over the place throughout the event, but I’ll stop by the Words & Money booth (#3922) now and then for a breather, so swing by if you’re attending and walking the exhibit floor at any point. If I’m not there, leave your card or a note and I’ll follow up with you.
And if there’s anyone you think I should definitely talk to (including you), drop me an email and let me know.
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