ALA Public Programs Office announces PLA preconference on library programming
Contact: Lainie Castle
Program Officer, PPO
312-280-5055
For Immediate Release
December 13, 2005
ALA Public Programs Office announces PLA preconference on library programming
CHICAGO-The American Library Association (ALA) Public Programs Office is pleased to announce a preconference on library programming that will be held in conjunction with the 2006 PLA National Conference. Titled "Cultural Programming for Libraries: Linking Libraries, Communities and Culture," the preconference will focus on preparing library staff to conduct excellent humanities programs for the public, and will take place Tuesday, March 21, 9 am - 5 pm and Wednesday, March 22, 9 am – noon in Boston.
To register, visit
www.placonference.org.
Created for library staff in charge of cultural and other programming as well as library administrators and trustees, the preconference will provide the training needed to plan and present programs that are well-attended crowd pleasers. Preconference attendees will learn how to design and present high-quality cultural programming at their library, as well as where and how to apply for cultural program funding and find organizations or groups that want to collaborate on programming. They’ll also find out about model and turnkey programs that are available to the beginning and experienced programmer, including reading and discussion programs, traveling exhibitions, and multi-format literary/humanities programming. Attendees will have the opportunity to participate in model programs, including a scholar-led lecture/discussion and an interactive poetry presentation.
Presenters include Barbara E. Petzen, outreach coordinator with the Center for Middle Eastern Studies, Harvard University and Stu Wilson, director of Public Awareness and Communications with the Friends of the St. Paul Public Library. Staff from the ALA Public Programs Office will present as well, including Deb Robertson, director and author of “Cultural Programming for Libraries: Linking Libraries, Communities, and Culture”; Susan Brandehoff, program director; and Mary Davis Fournier, project director. Other presenters will be announced shortly.
Advance PLA Conference registration and related discounts will be available through January 11, 2006. Preconference registration fees are $195 for PLA and Massachusetts Library Association (MLA) members, $250 for ALA members and $305 for non-members. This fee includes a copy of the book “Cultural Programming for Libraries: Linking Libraries, Communities, and Culture” (ALA, 2005), a $35 value.
A portion of your registration fee will support the Cultural Communities Fund, an endowment to support the development of cultural programming in libraries, in response to a Challenge Grant from the National Endowment for the Humanities (
www.ala.org/ccf).
This preconference workshop is presented with support from the ALA Cultural Communities Fund and a major gift from H. W. Wilson. The Massachusetts Foundation for the Humanities will provide program support.
To register for "Cultural Programming for Libraries: Linking Libraries, Communities and Culture," visit the PLA 2006 Conference Web site at
www.placonference.org. For more information, contact the Public Programs Office at 312-280-5045 or
publicprograms@ala.org.
