Down in the OC: Previewing ALA

by Jessica Bermúdez -- Críticas, 6/15/2008 8:56:00 AM

ALA
The 2008 American Library Association (ALA) Annual Conference will be held in Anaheim, CA, from June 26–July 2, 2008. It is open to librarians, exhibitors, and attendees to exchange new and innovative information on the future of libraries. There are exciting events to serve Spanish speakers as well. In the exhibits at the Anaheim Convention Center there will be a Spanish Publishers Pavilion created for librarians who requested a convenient way to reach both new and established Spanish publishers. There is also an International Pavilion where visitors can find multilingual and multicultural publications and library materials with suppliers from around the world. Here are the important events for those serving Spanish speakers:

Friday, June 27
Many Voices, Many Nations Anaheim 
(5:30-9 p.m. Mariott Anaheim, Room: Marquis Northeast)
Registration for this event is requested but not required.
Join writers and artists from around the globe celebrating our unique cultures. Among the many speakers there will be Jorge Argueta, poet and bilingual children’s writer. Argueta is the winner of the Americas Award for Latin American Literature and the Independent Publishers Book Award for Multicultural Fiction for Juveniles, among many others.

Saturday, June 28
Empowering Library Staff To Reach Out to Spanish Speakers 
(8–10 a.m. Room 54a)
WebJunction launched the Spanish Language Outreach Program to help libraries deal with the growing information and technology needs of Spanish speakers. It has since trained about 4000 library staff members in over 36 state libraries. This session will highlight several successful programs implemented by workshop participants and key lessons learned in successfully responding to the needs of the Spanish-speaking community.

Serving Latino Children and Families Through El día de los niños/El día de los libros
(4–5:30 p.m. Room 65c)
In 2007, many Spanish speakers visited programs related to Children’s Day/Book Day. Youth services librarians are in a unique position to provide year round services to Spanish-speaking and Latino children and families. Librarians will share their expertise and experiences in the areas of collection development, story time, programming, and family literacy.

Sunday, June 29
PRIME TIME Family Reading: Bilingual Programs Expand Nationally
(10:30–12 p.m. Room 70c)
Librarians from around the country will share their successes with PRIME TIME in reaching Spanish speakers and creating new library users. PRIME TIME and bilingual PRIME TIME provide a unique six- to eight-week program of reading, discussion, and storytelling at public libraries and other venues.