What's Happening at Midwinter
Schedule At A Glance
Conference Scheduler
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Download the Midwinter Meeting Schedule as an Excel File
Locations:
Dallas Convention Center – DCC
Adolphus Hotel – ADOL
Fairmont Hotel – FAIR
Hyatt Regency Dallas at Reunion – HYATT**
Magnolia Hotel – MAG
Marriott City Center – MAR
Omni Hotel Dallas – OMNI*
Sheraton Dallas Hotel – SHER**
Off Site – OS
*Headquarters
**Co-Headquarters
Institutes & Ticketed Events
The Midwinter Meeting features a range of institutes and ticketed events to fill your time before and during the meeting. Follow this link for a complete list. To register for any of these events, you can include them with your initial registration or add them later. Follow this link to access the registration system.
ERT/Booklist Author Forum
One of the highlights of the Midwinter Meeting is getting to hear and see favorite authors up close. The ERT/Booklist Author Forum kicks the meeting off in style on Friday afternoon when authors representing different voices come together to discuss their work as it relates to exploring social conditions past and present in fiction and nonfiction. Highly acclaimed authors Helen Schulman and Hillary Jordan will share with moderator Brad Hooper, Adult Books Editor at Booklist, their own special approaches to capturing society at large and family in particular, either in contemporary times or in the historical past. The authors will sign copies of their latest works at their publishers' booths during the Opening Exhibits Reception right after the Author Forum.
Author Forum Panel: Helen Schulman and Hillary Jordan with Brad Hooper
Friday, January 20, 4:00pm - 5:15pm
Helen Schulman is the author of the New York Times bestselling novel, This Beautiful Life, "a painfully honest novel that examines with precision the delicate balancing act needed to nurture a family through these manic times. Reminiscent of Anita Shreve's Testimony and Anny Quindlen's Every Last One." - Library Journal (starred review)
Schulman's previous novels are: A Day at the Beach, P.S., The Revisionist, and Out of Time, and the short story collection Not a Free Show. Her fiction and nonfiction have appeared in Vanity Fair, Time, Vogue, GQ, the Paris Review, and the New York Times Book Review. She is an Associate Professor of Writing at The New School.
Sponsored by HarperCollins
Hillary Jordan, author of the international bestseller Mudbound was an ALEX Award Winner as well as the winner of the Bellwether Prize for literature that addresses issues of social justice, awarded by Barbara Kingsolver. It was named the NAIBA Fiction Book of the Year and one of the Top Ten Debut Novels of the Decade by Paste magazine.
Jordan's new book When She Woke is a fable about a stigmatized woman struggling to navigate an America of a not-too-distant future.
Sponsored by Algonquin
Brad Hooper, Adult Books Editor, Booklist
Booklist is the book review magazine of the American Library Association, considered an essential collection development and reader’s advisory tool by thousands of librarians for more than 100 years. Booklist Online includes an archive of more than 135,000 reviews available to subscribers as well as a wealth of free content offering the latest news and views on books and media. Catch up with the editors, pick up a free copy of the magazine, and learn about the New Booklist subscription package at booth 1517.
Ribbon Cutting & Exhibits Opening Reception
Immediately following the Author Forum, the exhibit hall will open. The ribbon cutting ceremony will feature a brief welcome from ALA and Dallas dignitaries. The opening of the exhibits will include food, drink and entertainment through the exhibit hall. This gives exhibitors and attendees their first chance to network as the exhibits kick-off.
Empowering Voices, Transforming Communities
Molly Raphael
Join these conversations and leave Midwinter with new tools to become a better advocate. Libraries rely on partners within the community to advocate on their behalf more than ever before. But how can libraries stay relevant to these stakeholders in an environment of ever-changing priorities? Join visionary professor David Lankes, author of “Atlas of New Librarianship,” in two afternoons of innovative and interactive conversations about harnessing the evolving role of libraries, and strengthening the librarian’s voice to help shape community perception.
Read the Invitation from ALA President Molly Raphael.
David Lankes
Facilitators from the graphic recording company, Sunni Brown, will help create visual images of the plenary conversations that conclude each afternoon. The Saturday, January 21, 2012, session focuses on “Understanding Your Communities.” The Sunday, January 22, 2012, session focuses on “Transforming Librarianship.” Both run from 1:00-3:00 p.m. at the Dallas Convention Center, Room DCC-A1.
Sessions are open to all Midwinter Meeting attendees; add them to your Scheduler to indicate that you plan to attend. Attendees will also receive a coupon for 5% off the price of David Lankes’ galvanizing “Atlas of New Librarianship” (ACRL/MIT Press, 2011) at the ALA Conference Store.
ALA Masters Series
Hear experts from across library specialties describe their latest in-house innovations in the 30-minute fast paced sessions. Sprinkled throughout the schedule, these sessions give you insights into the hottest trends.
Saturday, January 21, 8:30am - 9:30am: Special Masters Series: A Library occupies Occupy Wall Street
Learn first-hand from the librarians on the front lines of Occupy Wall Street. Betsy Fagin, Mandy Henk and Zachary Loeb share their experiences participating in the Occupy Wall Street movement and building the People's Library.
Betsy Fagin was an ALA Spectrum Scholar in 2004 at the University of Maryland where she received her MLS degree. She has also received degrees in Creative Writing and Literature from CUNY - Brooklyn College and Vassar College.
Mandy Henk has been a librarian since 2003. She has experience working reference and doing instruction, but her main focus has been Access Services. Mandy's research interests include sustainable librarianship and the political economy of academic publications.
Zachary Loeb earned an MSIS from the University of Texas at Austin in May 2011. His areas of interest include archives, library technology, young adult services and the democratization of the public record.
Saturday, January 21, 12:30pm - 1:00pm: Masters Series: "Re-imagining the Public Library in a Post-Recession Economy."
Corinne Hill, Interim Director of Libraries, Dallas Public Library
Dallas Public Library is rethinking everything as it transitions out of the Great Recession of 2008. Mobile technology allows staff to deliver service at point of contact; an innovation incubator provides opportunities for assistance to those wanting to start a micro-business; and a renewed commitment to library services in a digital age has staff focused on the customer's experience.
Sunday, January 22, 12:30pm - 1:00pm: Master Series: World Book Night
Carl Lennertz
World Book Night is a one million free book giveaway to underserved readers across America on April 23, 2012. Librarians, as well as booksellers, will be asked to be volunteer book givers, AND libraries and bookstores will be the drop points for the books. Come hear how you can be a part of this important campaign. Read more now at www.worldbooknight.com.
Carl Lennertz lived in his hometown library, until going off to college and then into bookselling at Walden and Macy's. He then moved onto Random House Sales, Knopf Marketing Director, Little Brown Associate Publisher, and VP Sales HarperCollins, interrupted only by time to help launch Book Sense, and now..World Book Night U.S.!
Auditorium Speaker Series
The Auditorium Speaker Series brings leading authors and authorities from the fields of adult and youth fiction, technology, and popular culture to general sessions at key points in the Midwinter schedule.
Saturday, January 21, 10:00am - 11:00am: Susan Cain
Susan Cain - author of the forthcoming Quiet: The Power of Introverts in a World That Can't Stop Talking (Crown, January 2012) - will talk about how dramatically our culture misunderstands and undervalues introverts in this increasingly social world. She will address, based on the latest psychology and neuroscience, why she considers these advantageous traits and feels she owes her success to them. She will offer a perceptive critique of collaboration and outline a plethora of practical skills such as how to network if you hate small talk and how to modulate your personality according to circumstance. Cain blogs at ThePowerofIntroverts.com and is author of a "most e-mailed" New York Times article on the value of shyness and introversion. Her work has been compared to Malcolm Gladwell and Daniel Pink.
Sponsored by Random House
Sunday, January 22, 10:00am - 11:00am: John Green
John Green, wildly popular among librarians, is well-known for his thoughtful, entertaining presentations. As an Auditorium Speaker, he will address how social networking relates to literature and how librarians can reach patrons through fun and inventive social networking. An unparalleled social networker himself, Green has more than 1,125,000 Twitter followers while has vlogbrothers YouTube channel has 500,000 subscribers and almost 125 million downloads. It is in the Top 100 most subscribed channels of all time on YouTube and is consistently in the Top 100 most viewed daily videos. Green's appearance at Midwinter, sponsored by Penguin Young Readers, ricks off the tour for his upcoming book, The Fault in Our Stars (Dutton/January 2012), which has already received wide attention following his YouTube announcement that he would personally sign the entire first print run.
Sponsored by Penguin Young Readers
ALA President's Program
Sunday, January 22, 3:30pm - 5:30pm
Join ALA President Molly Raphael for this exciting session featuring Rich Harwood. Called "one of the great thinkers in American public life," Richard C. Harwood has – over the past twenty years – become a leading national authority on improving America’s communities, raising standards of political conduct and re-engaging citizens on today’s most complex and controversial public issues. He is the president and founder of The Harwood Institute for Public Innovation – a catalytic nonprofit dedicated to helping people imagine and act for the public good.
Rich’s unique voice stirs up a desire to make a difference using the turn outward approach – a guide to making public life more hope-filled. He has inspired thousands of people to step forward and take action rooted in their community and stay true to themselves with easy steps designed to get even the most cynical moving. Rich whole-heartedly believes that you can stay true to yourself and have impact.
Rich and The Harwood Institute are committed to spreading a vision for what American society should be by putting innovative practices to use on the ground to turn that vision into a reality. In short, Harwood has dedicated his life to helping people “make good on their urge to do good.”
A dynamic public speaker, Rich Harwood is a frequent keynote for national organizations. He is an expert contributor on national and syndicated media outlets including MSNBC, NPR, The Christian Science Monitor, CNN's Inside Politics, The NewsHour with Jim Lehrer, Special Report with Brit Hume, C-SPAN, and many others.
He is also the author of Hope Unraveled: The people’s retreat and our way back (2005), Make Hope Real: How we can accelerate change for the public good (2008) and numerous studies, articles and essays chronicling vital issues of our time. His most recent written work, Why We’re Here: The Powerful Impact of Public Broadcasters When They Turn Outward, is being published and distributed in Spring 2011. You can follow him on twitter @RichHarwood and facebook.com/richharwood.
Youth Media Awards
Each year the American Library Association (ALA) honors books, videos and other outstanding materials for children and teens. Recognized worldwide for the high quality they represent, the ALA Youth Media Awards, including the prestigious Newbery, Caldecott, Printz and Coretta Scott King Book Awards, guide parents, educators, librarians and others in selecting the best materials for youth. Selected by committees composed of librarians and other literature and media experts, the awards encourage original and creative work in the field of children’s and young adult literature and media.
The 2012 award winners will be announced at 7:45 a.m. CT, Monday, Jan. 23, in the Dallas Convention Center Theater. A live Webcast of the award announcements will be available on a first-come, first-served basis. Award press release will be posted online by 10 a.m. CT on the ALA homepage.
Arthur Curley Memorial Lecture - Jamal Joseph
Saturday, January 21, 4:00pm - 5:00pm
Jamal Joseph to keynote 13th annual Arthur Curley Lecture
Author and activist Jamal Joseph will deliver the Arthur Curley Memorial Lecture as part of the American Library Association’s (ALA) Midwinter Meeting in Dallas. Joseph will speak at 4 – 5 p.m. on Saturday, Jan. 21, at the Dallas Convention Center.
In the 1960s, Jamal Joseph exhorted students at Columbia University to burn their college to the ground. Today he is the Chair of their School of the Arts film division. His personal odyssey - from the streets of Harlem to Rikers Island and Leavenworth, to the halls of Columbia, is detailed in his upcoming book, “Panther Baby: A Life of Rebellion and Reinvention.”
Charged with conspiracy as one of the youngest members of the Panther 21 in one of the most emblematic criminal cases of the 60s, Joseph was twice sent to prison. While incarcerated, he earned two college degrees, wrote five plays, two volumes of poetry and found his calling.
Joseph has written and directed for Black Starz, HBO, FoxTV, New Line Cinema, Warner Bros. and A&E; and was nominated for a 2008 Academy Award in the Best Song category for his contributions to the song "Raise It Up", performed by IMPACT Repertory Theatre and Jamia Nash in the 2007 film August Rush.
Joseph is also the founder and artistic director of IMPACT, a Harlem-based youth theatre company, and executive director of New Heritage Films, a not-for-profit organization that provides training and opportunities for minority filmmakers.
The Arthur Curley Lecture honors the late Arthur Curley, past president of the ALA (1994-95) and director of the Boston Public Library (1985-96). Mr. Curley, who died in 1998, was a champion of the arts and believed that the library played a key role in presenting the arts to the community. To donate to the Arthur Curley Memorial Fund, visit the ALA Development Office Web site at www.ala.org/giveala.
For advance press registration or to schedule an interview, contact Macey Morales at 312-280-4393, mmorales@ala.org, or Jennifer Petersen at 312-280-5043, jpetersen@ala.org.
Sponsored by Algonquin
Book Buzz Theater
Come hear the latest “Buzz” about the newest titles from your favorite publishers all in one easy to find location in the convention center. Book Buzz Theater Featuring...
Saturday, January 21
Dallas Convention Center - Ballroom C1
8:00am - 9:00am - Amulet Books, and imprint of ABRAMS 
Amulet Books, an imprint of ABRAMS, Celebrates Spring 2012 with special guest Lauren Myracle, author of Shine, Margi Preus, author of 2011 Newbery Honor winner Heart of a Samurai, and Michael Buckley, bestselling author of The Sisters Grimm and NERDS series.
11:00am - 12:00pm - Sterling 
Chris Vaccari, Director, Library Marketing will talk about the best and brightest books from Sterling’s Spring 2012 Adult, Children’s and Teen lists. We will have ARC’s available and a book raffle prize, too
11:00am - 12:00pm - Macmillan (adult) Library Marketing Director (kitten wrangler and cupcake fanatic) Talia Sherer 
Talia Sherer will discuss her favorite forthcoming Spring and Fall 2012 titles from adult publishers St. Martin’s Press, Griffin, Minotaur Books, Farrar, Straus & Giroux, Henry Holt & Co., Picador, Tor/Forge, and Macmillan Audio. Advance copies, finished books, and goofy commentary await all attendees!
- 11:00: Sterling Children’s & Teen Books
- 11:15: St. Martin’s Griffin Teen
- 11:30: Sterling Adult
- 11:45: Macmillan Adult
1:30pm - 2:30pm - Scotting Bowditch, School and Library Marketing Director for Penguin Young Readers
Penguin Young Readers is thrilled to share upcoming titles for Spring and Summer 2012.
4:30pm - 5:30pm - A Dark and Delectable Feast of Tor's Upcoming Releases - with Refreshments! 
Publisher Kathleen Doherty and Senior Editor Susan Chang will present highlights from the Starscape and Tor Teen Winter 2012 list along with hot new releases for Spring 2012. Attendees will partake of advance reading copies, finished books, and delicious “Weenies” snacks!
Sunday, January 22
Dallas Convention Center - Ballroom C1
8:00am - 9:00am - Abrams Books for Young Readers
Abrams Books for Young Readers Celebrates Our Spring 2012 List and the Spring 2012 launch of Abrams Appleseed, a new imprint for readers ages 0-5. Join us for book giveaways and more!
11:00am - 12:00pm - Hachette Book Group and Perseus Books Group Sprint Titles
Find out what spring books we are excited about at Perseus, and I'll even share some of the behind the scenes secrets why! Also, get a sneak peek into the Spring titles from Hachette Book Group, there are lots to look forward to!
4:30pm - 5:30pm - Bloomsbury/Walker and Kingfisher Books for Young Readers 
Bloomsbury and Walker Books for Young Readers and Kingfisher Books will present their upcoming Spring 2012 titles, including picture books, middle grade and teen fiction, and a variety of nonfiction for ages 4 to 14. Come join us! Cookies will be served.
Discussion Groups
The Midwinter Meeting features over 300 Discussion Groups. A discussion group is a more loosely organized session, sponsored by an ALA division, roundtable or office that meets to discuss a broad topic. These sessions may or may not have a speaker, and are generally considered to be more open discussions than informational sessions, and usually have ample opportunity for interaction.
Meetings
Committee meetings are held during Midwinter to do the business of the association. Some meetings will be listed "closed" as they are discussing private information, but most meetings are open to any attendee, and may be a good way to learn about the business of ALA and its divisions.
Networking Uncommons
Make the connections you want at the Networking Uncommons space in the Convention Center. It’s a dedicated area where you can gather in small groups to have a quick meeting, polish your presentation, or just recharge your batteries. The area will feature tables, chairs, free convention center wifi, and a projector and screen, as well as some gadgets in case you want to push content out in real-time. Sign up for a time slot if you want to plan ahead - otherwise, just show up. During open times, the area is up for grabs, although it's big enough that multiple groups can use it at once, even when someone has scheduled something. Or just look at the topics each day to see what interests you.
Think Fit @ ALA
Think Fit @ ALA unveils at Midwinter encompassing sessions, programs, and events following its healthy, well-being initiative. Events and sessions promoting personal or environmental health will be noted with the Think Fit @ ALA icon. Look for the Think Fit @ ALA icon throughout the website, program, and all Midwinter promotions.
ALA Fun Run 5K & Walk 
Encouraged to establish a fun and fit focus for the 2012 Midwinter Conference, we are reinstating the ever so popular Fun Run 5K & Walk the morning of Saturday, January 21!
The Fun Run 5K & Walk is the headliner for a Think Fit @ ALA focus we are bringing to Midwinter 2012. Think Fit @ ALA will embrace all personal and environmental health minded agendas. Register for the Fun Run 5K & Walk on your personal registration page under the ‘ticketed events’ section!
Sponsored by Innovative Interfaces, Booth 1823
ALA JobLIST Placement Center
Provided by the ALA Office for Human Resource Development and Recruitment (HRDR), the Placement Center will be open: Saturday and Sunday, 9:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m. There will be an orientation on Saturday, January 21, 8:30 a.m. the Placement Center.
Job seekers should register and search for jobs on the JobLIST website at http://joblist.ala.org. All services are free to job seekers. Registration is not required, but is recommended. Registration will give registered employers access to your resume information. It will also allow for direct communication between job seekers and employers.
Employers who want to post positions should post them on the JobLIST website at http://joblist.ala.org. Employers who want to use the interviewing facilities must have an active ad placed on JobLIST at the time you schedule an interview. Employers who want a booth in the Placement Center should contact Beatrice Calvin at bcalvin@ala.org, or 800/545-2433 ext. 4280.
Exhibits Closing & Wrap Up Rev Up Celebration
Join us Monday afternoon to close the exhibits and rev up for the Annual Conference in Anaheim. Starting in the exhibits hall there will be discount sales and exhibitors will be offering special giveaways in their booths. The Exhibits Closing will be followed by the Wrap Up/Rev Up party. Come enjoy live music on the Wrap Up/Rev Up stage. The party will feature plenty of raffle prizes and fun.
Wrap Up Rev Up Celebration - 2:00pm - 3:00pm: Lisa Loeb
Pop star Lisa Loeb brings her wit, wacky humor, and sparkling creativity to the page in Lisa Loeb's Silly Sing-Along: The Disappointing Pancake and Other Zany Songs for her first children's songbook - featuring a CD with four original silly songs plus six all-time kids' favorites! Grammy®-nominated singer/songwriter Lisa Loeb first found success with her platinum-selling song "Stay (I Missed You)" from the film Reality Bites and now enjoys a multidimensional career that emcompasses music, film, television, and voice-overs. Her acclaimed studio releases include the Gold record Tails and its follow-up, the Grammy®-nominated and Gold-selling Firecracker. Lisa has also recorded two award-winning children's CD's Catch the Moon (with noted children's musical artist Elizabeth Mitchell) and Camp Lisa. Lisa created the Camp Lisa Foundation to send children to summer camp who otherwise would not have the opportunity. Lisa Loeb lives in Studio City, CA. For more information, go to www.lisaloeb.com or follow her on Twitter @lisaloeb4real.
Sponsored by Sterling Children's Books
Dine Around Dallas
Looking to hit the town and explore the area? Why not Dine Around Dallas!!!!
Dine Around Dallas is a group of local hot-spot restaurants currently holding reservations for ALA Midwinter attendees. Restaurants range in price and cuisine allowing for an experience that fits your needs.
Reservations are pre-set for groups of 8, Saturday and Sunday night allowing for first rate networking and event discussions. Whether you are signing up for a single seat or with a colleague, dinner is sure to please. This is an excellent opportunity to meet your peers and Dine Around Dallas whether you are new to ALA Midwinter or a conference pro.
Simply choose from the restaurants listed below and visit the link to save your seat!
The Common Table* – www.thecommontable.com
Sambuca Uptown* – www.sambucarestaurant.com
Dallas Fish Market – www.dallasfishmarket.com
Dallas Chop House – www.dallaschophouse.com
Wild Salsa Restaurant - www.wildsalsarestaurant.com
*Split checks are available (Otherwise multiple forms of payment may be used for one check, splitting the total yourself)
Click here to sign up! http://signupgenius.com/go/20F0E48ABAB2AA13-dine
Get Excited about Dallas
Dallas has lots to offer since ALA was last there in 1988! The Convention Bureau has put together itineraries for your free time and has a special ALA website with all the local information.
