by Jamie Kuramaji
This year I was so fortunate enough to attend ALA’s Midwinter Conference as APALA’s 2020 Emerging Leader. I was thrilled for the opportunity to not only attend the conference, but to be given the chance to participate in the EL’s workshop and programs. It has been a fantastic conference where I was able to meet and work with some great library people from around the world.
Participating in the EL program this conference has been a great experience. We started the conference off early with an all-day workshop on Friday, with presentations on building leadership skills, learning from previous Emerging Leaders, digesting (or at least trying to understand) the organizational structure of ALA, and jumping into our projects. In addition to the workshop, we were invited to further build our network of colleagues by attending receptions and meetings. I heard words of encouragement from ALA’s President Wanda Brown, former Emerging Leaders, and our own APALA members.
In between the exhibit hall and connecting with new friends, I was able to attend a few sessions where I was able to learn about different topics that are relevant to children’s librarianship. I learned approaches to incorporate social-emotional learning and makerspace activities, and what libraries are doing to help families cope with toxic stress through library programming. The different sessions are a great way to learn what and how other libraries are creating new programs or interpreting contemporary topics. I ended my conference time by attending two of my favorite programs: The MLK Jr. Holiday Observance and Sunrise Service and the Youth Media Awards. There are no words to describe the excitement of cheering on the different honor and awards books!
I cannot thank enough the support my APALA family has provided me both at the conference and in the Emerging Leaders program. It has been an absolute honor and pleasure to be working alongside so many enthusiastic librarians.