The first AASL Conference occurred in. Louisville, Kentucky- 1980! I want to hear someone’s story and memory of this first Conference PLEASE!
Arriving – Wednesday October 15th
Doing the math, this year was the 22nd conference (held every two year) and as I prepared my belongings to head out I wondered, what good stories do people have about the people that watch over things when they head out to AASL? If it were not for my cousin, I would not be able to even step out of my brood of dogs, cats, and fish – and his attention to details was priceless- and I KNOW there are many good people everyone relies on when they head out. Who are they?
Why is it so important for you to attend AASL? My goals have changes in being tied with AASL, as originally, it was for the reason of SHARING AND CREATING ideas that would energize my own school library. That is has. Now I find this is an outlet and opportunity to GROW future librarians in students and finding ways to give them a platform beyond their own community. Today, I was realizing I had a day to graciously represent our GIRLS WHO CODE group, in also helping draw an eye to what goes on into our school library. They have served as guides to lead others to the school library and I was getting a chance to have them represent what they have been doing in the school library.
Off from Salisbury, Maryland airport, to Charlotte, (I had a bad experience last conference coming back from Tampa, over 17 hours in hat airport coming back until we had pilots) and I wondered, and cringed a little, but no out of the ordinary occurrences- YES! – with a long layover, I found myself waiting in Charlotte for my last leg to St. Louis. I had slept a whole 2-3 hours the day before so I had caught many ZZZ’s in Charlotte while waiting.
I checked my phone instant messages and saw a message from Airbnb, and learned the residence I was to check in would not be ready due to renovations- but the owner was checking on a hotel for me and getting me a Lyft from the airport to that hotel – despite this – I was glad I knew what was happening and was appreciative of her attention to the detail. Any adventurous stories out there about your flights in?
On landing in St. Louis, I realized how WARM it was in St. Louis – it felt like summer and I was sweating- but it was wonderful to feel how warm it was – wow. Major change from the cool nights and storms we had just experienced in Delaware. Without too much delay, my Lyft was here and the driver and I discussed how there had been little rain recently in St. Louis, a stark contrast to what we had been experiencing as mentioned. On our way I realized I would be staying at the Angad Arts Hotel –
History of name – two takes-
https://www.hotel-online.com/news/hotel-angad-will-be-name-of-grand-center-hotel
and
the owner of the Airbnb-Stephanie, was awesome and kept in touch every step of the way with me- she made this a smooth transition. I had never seen anything like the Angad Arts Hotel –
Don’t believe why AI says it was named Angad, totally WRONG! This is why…
Sitting across the street from Powell Symphony Hall and as I entered the hotel, is was flanked by artists of all types. Music flowed out and you walked into the midst of a lobby art exhibit,
and as I went up to the 12th floor – watching the art viewing on the tv in the elevator, the door opened up onto the lobby but surrounded by art everywhere– and the halls, all types of art found EVERYWHERE- it was a variation of the idea of a Night At the Museum movie.
I went into my room and yep- it had been slashed and immersed into Green –
while not my favorite color-the color just hit you immediately and fixtures you might not “see” the first time- hit you as you paid close to the details. Amazing hotel and I was excited. The rooftop looks out all over St. Louis and it a breath taker. As I realized I was getting hungry, I wandered out past St. Louis University, and found Rally’s. Not figuring out the late night entry (doors locked) I found myself at the night window and ordered. The fries were crisp and very good, the pie was similar to McDonald’s but a deeper taste with cinnamon like a churro, only apple inside, and the burger, Big Buford, huge but very good. It hit the spot!
That night as I walked back, the lights illuminating the area around the neighborhood,
seeing the arch in the distance- a great welcoming to a location I had not remembered since 2006 – when the St. Louis Cardinals had won the World Series, I was there for an NCTE conference I believe, and remember the sea of red.
What were the first details you remembered upon arriving in St. Louis? Please tell! Sleep came before I realized it making up for a total count of probably 5 hours in the last two days…but I was excited to get ready for what would be presenting The Girls Who Code’s initiative and seeing what the first day would hold!
Day One Conference
Up at 7:00 (maybe a tad earlier) but YES YES YES! Refreshed with sleep! I found the local Office Depot and I had a list of to do’s from the Girls Who Code- stapler, printouts, color prints oh my- every have one of those days where you go in and come out and voila, need to go back in- this occurred 4 times (I think?!) until finally I simply had to flee. I headed to the St. Louis Convention Center via Lyft, and found my way to the posters in the Exhibit Hall – and…the stapler did not open (this makes it hard to staple on a bulletin. board )- go ahead, try it… :). )
The “neighbor” displayer graciously let me use her extras – and she saved the day! Once we finally had the pieces up on the board – connecting to the students via Teams to get them live – BUT – not only did I get the time zone difference wrong, the Wifi was not connecting and barely doing so with my phone as a hot spot. Over the next 3 hours – we tried to connect to no avail, the poster session started and we had over 25 visitors to talk with but we were all disappointed the wifi and the Teams meeting would fall through. We decided we would get the GWC members to be able to do it again and share with the people that stopped by.
When things went all wrong, did not connect went the way of a tornado – library heroes Misty Boyle, Katelynn Scott, Susan Elizabeth Cordle School Librarian liaison – priceless. When I forgot everything about tech, phones, and connectivity, they made sure they had my back. They were AWESOME. The librarians that stopped? We talked spheroes, they reassured me to tel the ladies that worked overtime to prepare for the conference, they were full of ideas. Together, anything bad could have happened and good would have resulted. That is what librarians are able to do.
Do try some of the QR codes above too !
SO many people stopped by and were not necessarily unknowns to Girls Who Code, but interested in how we were using this as a school library advocacy piece to get the girls into OTHER libraries and also more library enthusiasts are coming into ours. Despite the disappointment we had with connectivity, thanks to the ladies, they created a followup video to send out to all. The conversations we had were numerous, and so excited to see so many interested in these initiatives!
While the day for me was posters and meeting and greeting, then checking out vendors until 4:00 ish, there were ALOT of great sessions happening –
and if you have not come across her, you must check out Christina Personti – The World’s Loudest Librarian – she does a FABULOUS job of keeping you in the AASL loop from top to bottom – and one of the best librarians in the Red Clay District ( I know this from her constant energy to keep providing exciting aspects for her patrons, you will see- check out her instagram!) A guide below to go with her first day Instagram:
Great Immigrants, Great Americans – https://www.carnegie.org/news/articles/great-immigrants-great-americans-the-comic-series/
Spy party – (There was something similar to this we did in Tampa, and thanks to Christina, we were able to see James Ponti ) he is quite the show and makes everything you love about literacy come alive!
This day was exhausting, nerve wrecking and disappointing when I could not get the ladies from Girls Who Code in front of us, when we planned so much out to stand out for so many –
BUT – this is a great lesson in rebounding from that and coming back with a one-two punch and making up for opportunities that do not, might not, pan out.
Also a note, there are many schools that are mediocre or below when supporting their libraries. Others are not. But when you have amazingly high-caliber, energetic librarians like Christina Personti and Misty Boyle (see below)- that pour so much of their profession and energy into resources to make every day an amazing one, an amazing spy adventure! – for students? HOW COULD YOU NOT REALIZE HOW VALUABLE librarians are and be so grateful for the time they are putting in? If every profession took so much excitement in as these librarians, don’t you think we would be exploding at the seams and pressuring other schools that do not support their librarians even more – BUT – this is what you can do – show these instagrams, posts, and activities to PARENTS, OTHER SCHOOLS, LEGISLATORS,COMMUNITY MEMBERS and make sure they are asking, why do not we have this excitment in EVERY library? Our students deserve this.
Misty Boyle, it was amazing to know how Representative Gorman took the time to check in with Ms. Boyle’s class and meet the students from her library that met at legislative hall this past year over the issue of the necessity of school libraries.
Seeing Representative Gorman‘s October 7th visit to Newark High School’s School Library and willingness to take in the impact and power literacy has is a start- priceless. The reason librarians from all over sacrifice their own money, their own time, their own spaces and often time at home is they realize their students are still in need of so much that is there is not enough of – literacy, mentors, role models, and inspirers like Misty and Christina – but we need the support of families, community members, and other schools to keep that support in front of the people who might not see the day to day impacts – administrators and superintendents. Please help us keep litereacy growing with your voice, questions and inquiries. We need all of you!
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