ALA Connect Lounge 

Stop by the ALA Connect Lounge, located in the 700 Aisle, to share ideas and connect with fellow attendees!

Welcome to the ALA Connect Lounge, where you will connect with ALA staff, find information about initiatives and resources from across the Association, and network with fellow LLX attendees. Here are some of the exciting ways you can connect:

Share your ideas on top-of-mind topics:

  • Grab a post-it and add it to our Crowd Source Idea Wall. We will be adding new topics daily.
     

Connect with ALA staff:

  • Meet your ALA Member Relations and Services team who will answer questions and provide information about how ALA Membership can help you improve library services for your community and enhance your career.
     
  • ALA’s Office for Intellectual Freedom, the Freedom to Read Foundation, and Unite Against Book Bans teams will be available to share information about challenges, discuss the work of the Foundation, and cover the ways you can encourage members of your community to become library advocates.
     
  • The Public Programs Office staff will be available to provide information on current and upcoming grant opportunities and will offer free library programming guides, pens, and other goodies.
     
  • Booklist will have free copies of the December Editors’ Choice and Stars issue and the January Readers’ Advisory-focused issue. Plus, you can pick up the January issue of our new, patron-friendly, recommendation magazine, Booklist Reader. Learn more about this new magazine, how to share the digital issue for free, and to get a great subscription deal.
     
  • ALA Editions|Neal-Schuman staff will offer complimentary snacks, informational resources, a gift raffle, and new titles and textbooks to browse.

Stop by the ALA Store (Booth 719) to shop our selection of tee-shirts from Out of Print Clothing featuring vintage ALA READ® posters including LeVar Burton and more. Enter your name in a drawing to win a copy of LLX Closing Session speaker Ani DiFranco’s READ® poster from 1999—a collector’s item! And remember, prices at the ALA Store automatically reflect the ALA Member discount, so there’s no need to dig out your member number.

You can also join your fellow LLX attendees on ALA Connect! Join the LibLearnX 2023 Community on ALA Connect to discuss sessions, share notes, and make plans for meet-ups.

 

Pop into one of our 20-Minute Huddles scheduled throughout the weekend.

Find a topic that interests you and join an intimate discussion group to generate ideas. All ideas are welcome!

Saturday, Jan 28

  • 11:30am - 11:50am - What tools have helped you defend intellectual freedom [or the right to read] in your workplace and community? What tools do you need to continue this work? (Office for Intellectual Freedom)
     
  • 12:00pm - 12:20pm - Our communities can be powerful advocates for our work. What are your ideas for and experiences with ways in which community members can support libraries, library staff, and the right to read? (Unite Against Book Bans)
     
  • 12:30pm - 12:50pm - How can state associations better engage MILS students and student ALA chapters? (Chapter Relations Office)
     
  • 1:00pm - 1:30pm - What tools have helped you defend intellectual freedom [or the right to read] in your workplace and community? What tools do you need to continue this work? (Office for Intellectual Freedom)

Sunday, Jan 29                                     

  • 11:30am - 11:50am - Our communities can be powerful advocates for our work. What are your ideas for and experiences with ways in which community members can support libraries, library staff, and the right to read? (Unite Against Book Bans)
     
  • 12:00pm - 12:20pm - What are the top issues or challenges facing public library workers today? (Public Library Association)
     
  • 12:30pm - 12:50pm - Banned Books Week 2023 will take place October 1-7. What would you like to do for Banned Books Week, and what resources do you need to help make it happen? (Office for Intellectual Freedom)                  

Monday, Jan. 30   

  • 9:30am - 9:50am - How can ALA and its members engage and interact with the Global Library Community? (International Relations Office)
     
  • 10:00am - 10:20am - How has teen/young adult engagement shifted due to the pandemic? How can libraries better reach them with programs? (Public Programs Office)
     
  • 10:30am - 10:50am - What do you value most about ALA membership? (ALA Member Relations & Services)

LibLearnX is a must-attend learning experience designed for library professionals from all library types and at all career levels.