2014 Midwinter Meeting attendees invited to 'kitchen-table' type conversations

CHICAGO — In an invitation to 2014 ALA Midwinter Meeting attendees, ALA President Barbara K. Stripling encouraged everyone to participate in the kitchen-table type conversations designed to be a step toward making ALA an innovation space where members and staff can collaborate and create together.

“As the Board considers future directions for ALA in a time of significant change, your voice is very important,” wrote Stripling. “I urge you to participate so we can hear your voice as we consider the best ways for ALA to work with and on behalf of members now and in the future.”

Picking up where the first kitchen-table type conversations left off at 2013 Annual Conference, these Midwinter Meeting conversations in groups of up to 16 will dig more deeply into what the participants want ALA to be as their professional community. Four 90-minute conversations with up to 16 participants are planned each day, from 8:30 - 10 a.m., 10:30 a.m. - noon, 1- 2:30 p.m. and 3 - 4:30 p.m.from Saturday, Jan. 25 through Monday, Jan. 27:, at the Philadelphia Convention Center, Room 305 (PCC-305). Please register in advance by emailing Mary Ghikas (mghikas@ala.org ) with your first and second choices of day and time. Spaces will be filled on a first-come basis.

ALA members experienced in facilitating conversations will facilitate and record the conversations, and notes will be posted to the community in ALA Connect. As we hold future conversations, including at 2014 ALA Annual Conference, we will continue to build a rich base of public knowledge about the aspirations and concerns of our community. (Results from the June 2013 conversations are in ALA Connect, and feedback was shared with the ALA Executive Board and division leaders.)

This is one of several ways that attendees are encouraged to ask questions, explore options, make recommendations, examine ideas and reflect on the implications with colleagues at the 2014 ALA Midwinter Meeting. Other opportunities include the Unconference on Friday and Library Camp on Monday afternoon, the facilitated conversation on Saturday afternoon, participation in discussion groups throughout the meeting and using the Networking Uncommons area at any time to follow up or start a small-group discussion.

ALA Midwinter Meeting & Exhibits. The conversation starts here …

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