The American Library Association (ALA) has announced that registration and housing for 2013 ALA Annual Conference in Chicago, June 27-July 2, are now set to open on January 14 at 9:00 a.m. CST. It has asked that any communication received from its registration and housing systems, sent before the new date of January 14 was confirmed, be ignored.
New information and content are added to the ALA Annual Conference website. They can also be collected at #ala2013 (Twitter) and at bit.ly/ala2013fb (the Facebook Event page).
Key issues covered at the conference will include digital content and e-books, technology in libraries, innovation, books and authors, leadership, library advocacy, community engagement, and library marketing.
The ALA Annual Conference includes 500+ programmes, discussions and sessions on various topics, speakers and events, including best-selling author Khaled Hosseini, Congressman John Lewis, leadership expert Karol M. Wasylyshyn, and founder of wordnik.com Erin McKean, 800+ exhibitors highlighting new titles, products and services, and related fun events at exhibit hall stages and pavilions, and 100s of authors and preconferences offering in-depth professional development.
The other programmes includes key policy, research, and other updates from leading institutions and offices, in-depth, facilitated, and informal conversations on advancing library-led community engagement and practical steps, strategies, and tools, Library Unconference on Friday, Library Camp on Monday, and Networking Uncommons for impromptu sessions, follow-up conversations, and small get-togethers.
Also included are ALA JobLIST Placement Center connecting job seekers and employers, and offering free career counseling and celebrations of the 75th anniversary of the Caldecott Medal, with the participation of experts and children's book illustrators including Paul O. Zelinsky, Brian Selznick, Jerry Pinkney, Erin Stead, Chris Raschka, and Eric Rohmann.
Attendees needing to show how the conference would help their organisations may use the "Making your case to attend" resources, with guidelines for what information to present, what previous attendees have said about what they took home, and a sample budget worksheet.
