Donnie, I agree that the AJL virtual digital conference last summer was a better event than ALA Midwinter. One big reason for this is that AJL's gathering is a smaller, more focused, and relevant event to most of us who are (or were) Judaica library workers, volunteers, information professionals, scholars, educators, students, vendors, curators, and other interested parties. I disagree, however, that ALA Midwinter was of little value.
One thing to note is that Midwinter is more of a meeting than a conference. Historically, it was primarily a time for ALA committees, divisions, round tables, etc. to conduct business, and programs were a bonus. And, ALA Annual Conference is much more programmatic. I, too, miss networking and face-to-face interpersonal connections (besides exploring different aspects of particular cities, especially cultural amenities). All the same, these are things that we all have to deal with during this terrible pandemic. As for the ALA Midwinter Meeting that just happened (the last that will ever have that title), I found a number of events valuable and even inspiring. To name just a few: "Ruby Bridges: Featured Speaker, Diversity in Publishing Stage" <https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://www.eventscribe.net/2021/ALA-Midwinter/fsPopup.asp?Mode=presInfo&PresentationID=802251__;!!KGKeukY!jo32sdITSZAr1UZX2v56xvKhy3XSCzogQcLijFdUK6ZaP87iI9_zuYe0vi6YmI1NoxU$ > Ruby Bridges is a civil rights activist, who at the age of six was the > first Black student to integrate an all-white elementary school in New > Orleans. Ms. Bridges's story was poignant, disturbing, sad, hopeful, and heartening. What she and thousands of African-American children endured not all that long ago and many still do to this day, and the ongoing struggle for equal rights in education as in many areas was spelled out explicitly in this great session, which offered much to ponder. "ALA President's Program and Awards featuring Joy Harjo" <https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://www.eventscribe.net/2021/ALA-Midwinter/fsPopup.asp?Mode=presInfo&PresentationID=802045__;!!KGKeukY!jo32sdITSZAr1UZX2v56xvKhy3XSCzogQcLijFdUK6ZaP87iI9_zuYe0vi6YkhVjWdk$ > Joy Harjo is an internationally-renowned musician, playwright, and author. > Born in Tulsa, Oklahoma, she is a member of the Muscogee (Creek) Nation. In > June 2019, Harjo was appointed as the 23rd Poet Laureate in Poetry to the > Library of Congress. She is the first Native American to hold the honor and > was reappointed to a second term in April 2020. Joy Harjo's story was stimulating and uplifting. "Cicely Tyson: Featured Speaker" offered some fascinating insights into the struggles and success stories of this very talented, award-winning star of film and theater. "ALA Youth Media Awards" while not as exciting as when held in person again highlighted a great number of children's and teen book award winners with a wide range of diversity, and, of course, the high point is the announcement of the Sydney Taylor Book Awards. I was quite surprised that the affiliates' awards were announced first with the STBA announcement coming almost right after the event began, which was a nice change, actually. And the "22nd Annual Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Virtual Holiday Observance and Sunrise Celebration" <https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://www.eventscribe.net/2021/ALA-Midwinter/fsPopup.asp?Mode=presInfo&PresentationID=802381__;!!KGKeukY!jo32sdITSZAr1UZX2v56xvKhy3XSCzogQcLijFdUK6ZaP87iI9_zuYe0vi6YtFqbepI$ > was filled with inspiring songs and stories. While I quite enjoyed the numerous sections of a speech by Dr. King being recited by members (often the presidents or other officers) of numerous divisions, round tables, and affiliates, I would very much like to see participation of someone from AJL and/or the ALA Jewish Information Committee in this signature ALA event. I hope that our liaisons and others who have official roles in ALA will contact the organizers of this session about including such engagement in the future. And, of course, there was "Inaugural National Youth Poet Laureate Amanda Gorman reading from *Change Sings,* a lyrical picture book debut coming September 2021." This young poet has almost overnight become an international sensation and deservedly so! On the whole, I think that this was a very good event. The above sessions were just a sample of programs that I found worthwhile. I wouldn't compare it to AJL's conference because of the element of relevance, but I was glad to have taken part. I'm sorry that you were disappointed. Elliot ====================================================== Elliot H. Gertel *עלע־הערש גערטל / אליהו־צבי גרטל* Irving M. Hermelin Curator Emeritus of Judaica Member, ALA EMIERT Jewish Information Committee, 2020-22 The University of Michigan Ann Arbor, Michigan eger...@umich.edu On Tue, Jan 26, 2021 at 9:40 PM Kathleen Bloomfield via Hasafran < hasafran@lists.osu.edu> wrote: > Thanks Donnie, > > The Planning Committee is working hard to make our 2021 Virtual > conference equally wonderful. > > I too attended the ALA Midwinter and was unimpressed, typing notes in the > chat is not the same as even a virtual room. Except for our AJL Schmooze & > BYO Nosh, where we actually got to interact with people. > > Thank you so much for your kind words. > > Kathy B. > > On Tue, Jan 26, 2021 at 11:21 AM Daniel Stuhlman via Hasafran < > hasafran@lists.osu.edu> wrote: > >> I attended the ALA Midwinter Conference virtually. They had 7,012 >> attendees. 7,698 attended in Philadelphia in 2020, and 6,347 attended in >> Seattle in 2019. Without the need to travel they had significantly fewer >> attendees. I missed the excitement of being there in person and I missed >> learning from multiple sessions. Many of the guest speakers were just >> saying how great libraries are in the community. >> >> I think AJL's conference was much better. We had more people attending >> virtually than the last in-person conference. We learned and socialized. >> We got to know some fellow librarians who were once just names on >> Hasafran. This is just another round of thanks for a job well done. >> >> Donnie >> >> -- >> Daniel D. Stuhlman >> Chicago, IL >> dstuhlman at gmail.com >> <https://urldefense.com/v3/__http://gmail.com__;!!KGKeukY!kqtuORPMpmXkpacDm8SKEh3SELDHFfAfL-6k_IQpiTL3UONwZQMdx_-Z9if5t-sbRgs$> >> >> Blog: Kol Safran >> <https://urldefense.com/v3/__http://kol-safran.blogspot.com/__;!!KGKeukY!kqtuORPMpmXkpacDm8SKEh3SELDHFfAfL-6k_IQpiTL3UONwZQMdx_-Z9if5pa3E-aA$> >> >> LinkedIn >> profile.https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://www.linkedin.com/in/daniel-d-stuhlman-b49a187/__;!!KGKeukY!jo32sdITSZAr1UZX2v56xvKhy3XSCzogQcLijFdUK6ZaP87iI9_zuYe0vi6YD-u-h3g$ >> >> <https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://www.linkedin.com/in/daniel-d-stuhlman-b49a187/__;!!KGKeukY!kqtuORPMpmXkpacDm8SKEh3SELDHFfAfL-6k_IQpiTL3UONwZQMdx_-Z9if5oahLagk$> >> >> __ >> Messages and opinions expressed on Hasafran are those of the individual >> author >> and are not necessarily endorsed by the Association of Jewish Libraries >> (AJL) >> ================================== >> Submissions for Ha-Safran, send to: >> hasaf...@lists.service.ohio-state.edu >> To join Ha-Safran, update or change your subscription, etc. - click here: >> https://lists.service.ohio-state.edu/mailman/listinfo/hasafran >> Questions, problems, complaints, compliments send to: galro...@osu.edu >> Ha-Safran Archives: >> Current: >> >> https://urldefense.com/v3/__http://www.mail-archive.com/hasafran*40lists.service.ohio-state.edu/maillist.html__;JQ!!KGKeukY!jo32sdITSZAr1UZX2v56xvKhy3XSCzogQcLijFdUK6ZaP87iI9_zuYe0vi6YgZ8gcvg$ >> >> <https://urldefense.com/v3/__http://www.mail-archive.com/hasafran*40lists.service.ohio-state.edu/maillist.html__;JQ!!KGKeukY!jr4rDie6-J1uFYWmAWcjuXD5PMiVZfCorc7idc9PugLe6fXgFV6tPNFhPGwdjCGgD4c$> >> Earlier Listserver: >> >> https://urldefense.com/v3/__http://www.mail-archive.com/hasafran*40lists.acs.ohio-state.edu/maillist.html__;JQ!!KGKeukY!jo32sdITSZAr1UZX2v56xvKhy3XSCzogQcLijFdUK6ZaP87iI9_zuYe0vi6YkJOvY3g$ >> >> <https://urldefense.com/v3/__http://www.mail-archive.com/hasafran*40lists.acs.ohio-state.edu/maillist.html__;JQ!!KGKeukY!jr4rDie6-J1uFYWmAWcjuXD5PMiVZfCorc7idc9PugLe6fXgFV6tPNFhPGwdgaPJAv8$> >> AJL HomePage >> https://urldefense.com/v3/__http://www.JewishLibraries.org__;!!KGKeukY!jo32sdITSZAr1UZX2v56xvKhy3XSCzogQcLijFdUK6ZaP87iI9_zuYe0vi6YgP7RmdU$ >> >> <https://urldefense.com/v3/__http://www.JewishLibraries.org__;!!KGKeukY!jr4rDie6-J1uFYWmAWcjuXD5PMiVZfCorc7idc9PugLe6fXgFV6tPNFhPGwd91RS0NE$> >> -- >> Hasafran mailing list >> Hasafran@lists.osu.edu >> https://lists.osu.edu/mailman/listinfo/hasafran >> > > > -- > Kathleen M. Bloomfield > President, Association of Jewish Libraries: > The Leading Authority on Judaic Librarianship > https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://jewishlibraries.org/__;!!KGKeukY!jo32sdITSZAr1UZX2v56xvKhy3XSCzogQcLijFdUK6ZaP87iI9_zuYe0vi6YhPW69yA$ > > <https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://jewishlibraries.org/__;!!KGKeukY!jr4rDie6-J1uFYWmAWcjuXD5PMiVZfCorc7idc9PugLe6fXgFV6tPNFhPGwdEjWT2aI$> > > Find me! > Website: forwordsbooks: kids books that matter. > <https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://forwordsbooks.com/__;!!KGKeukY!jr4rDie6-J1uFYWmAWcjuXD5PMiVZfCorc7idc9PugLe6fXgFV6tPNFhPGwdQfhxjS4$> > Instagram: *therealkathybloomfield* > Twitter: @forwordsbooks > > "Reading is the key that opens doors to many good things in life. Reading > shaped my dreams, and more reading helped me make my dreams come true." - > Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg > __ > Messages and opinions expressed on Hasafran are those of the individual > author > and are not necessarily endorsed by the Association of Jewish Libraries > (AJL) > ================================== > Submissions for Ha-Safran, send to: > hasaf...@lists.service.ohio-state.edu > To join Ha-Safran, update or change your subscription, etc. - click here: > https://lists.service.ohio-state.edu/mailman/listinfo/hasafran > Questions, problems, complaints, compliments send to: galro...@osu.edu > Ha-Safran Archives: > Current: > > https://urldefense.com/v3/__http://www.mail-archive.com/hasafran*40lists.service.ohio-state.edu/maillist.html__;JQ!!KGKeukY!jo32sdITSZAr1UZX2v56xvKhy3XSCzogQcLijFdUK6ZaP87iI9_zuYe0vi6YgZ8gcvg$ > > Earlier Listserver: > > https://urldefense.com/v3/__http://www.mail-archive.com/hasafran*40lists.acs.ohio-state.edu/maillist.html__;JQ!!KGKeukY!jo32sdITSZAr1UZX2v56xvKhy3XSCzogQcLijFdUK6ZaP87iI9_zuYe0vi6YkJOvY3g$ > > AJL HomePage > https://urldefense.com/v3/__http://www.JewishLibraries.org__;!!KGKeukY!jo32sdITSZAr1UZX2v56xvKhy3XSCzogQcLijFdUK6ZaP87iI9_zuYe0vi6YgP7RmdU$ > > -- > Hasafran mailing list > Hasafran@lists.osu.edu > https://lists.osu.edu/mailman/listinfo/hasafran >
__ Messages and opinions expressed on Hasafran are those of the individual author and are not necessarily endorsed by the Association of Jewish Libraries (AJL) ================================== Submissions for Ha-Safran, send to: hasaf...@lists.service.ohio-state.edu To join Ha-Safran, update or change your subscription, etc. - click here: https://lists.service.ohio-state.edu/mailman/listinfo/hasafran Questions, problems, complaints, compliments send to: galro...@osu.edu Ha-Safran Archives: Current: http://www.mail-archive.com/hasafran%40lists.service.ohio-state.edu/maillist.html Earlier Listserver: http://www.mail-archive.com/hasafran%40lists.acs.ohio-state.edu/maillist.html AJL HomePage http://www.JewishLibraries.org -- Hasafran mailing list Hasafran@lists.osu.edu https://lists.osu.edu/mailman/listinfo/hasafran
