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SLO 5, ARTIFACT 3:
Blog Post on ALA Midwinter Meeting Link to blog post: https://storianblog.wordpress.com/2017/01/25/a-meeting-in-atlanta/ This is a blog post I wrote about the ALA 2017 Midwinter Meeting in Atlanta. My attendance was funded in part by a grant I received from the UNCG MLIS program. In the blog post, I describe the conversations that took place at the conference sessions and the types of activities I participated in. The most beneficial aspect of the Midwinter Meeting for me was interacting with professionals in the MLIS field. At one gathering, I met Librarian of Congress, Carla Hayden, the first African American and first woman to hold that position. Talking with Dr. Hayden - a woman who, like me, is African American and earned her library degree while working a full-time job - was one of the most inspiring moments of my MLIS journey. During my interactions with LIS professionals at the conference, I began to understand the methods that ALA uses to solicit feedback from its members. While sitting with members of ALA's GLBT Round Table, I heard a representative from ALA's national office ask people at the table for ideas on what initiatives ALA should be undertaking. I was impressed by this direct approach to member outreach and look forward to employing it myself as a member of the Black Caucus of the American Library Association's membership committee. Furthermore, when doing future outreach work with marginalized communities, I plan to consult with GLBT Round Table members when seeking ways to make the public library environment and public library programming more inclusive. At a Social Responsibilities Round Table (SRRT) meeting, I learned that new Round Table members could propose ideas for advancing social justice by communicating with other members about the ideas via the SRRT listserv. I consider public library outreach work to be a form of social justice promotion; therefore, I envision interacting with colleagues from the SRRT Round Table both through the listserv and in person during the course of my outreach career. While at the conference, I also met with a librarian who reviewed and critiqued my resume. She provided some helpful suggestions that I incorporated into my resume immediately upon my return home, such as placing my volunteer outreach experience near the top. Since that time, I have received positive feedback on my resume from two library managers. At the Midwinter Meeting and other ALA conferences, I learned that many leaders in the library profession are quite down-to-earth and approachable people. I also learned how easy it is for people to get involved with ALA’s work at any point in their careers. As a library and information professional, I expect to consult frequently with people I have encountered at conferences. I am certain that their insights will enhance the effectiveness of my future public library outreach activities. |