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  • 1.  American Library Association announces LibLearnX will be virtual

    Posted Sep 15, 2021 03:11 PM

    CHICAGO - The American Library Association's Executive Board announced today that LibLearnX: The Library Learning Experience scheduled for January 21-24, 2022, in San Antonio, Texas, will take place virtually.

    "Given the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic and surge of its variants coupled with the size, scope and location of LibLearnX, it is necessary to cancel the in-person portion of the event," said ALA President Patricia "Patty" Wong. "As such, the Executive Board voted to transition the in-person portion of LLX in January 2022 to a virtual-only conference."

    LibLearnX, ALA's all-new January event, is a member-focused conference designed to motivate, inspire, and engage discussions that will shape the future of libraries and their communities. LibLearnX will feature active and applied learning, networking opportunities for library professionals, and celebrations of the positive impact libraries have on society.

    Registration for Virtual LibLearnX opens on Oct. 15, 2021.



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    Marsha P. Burgess
    Council Secretariat
    American Library Association
    mburgess@ala.org
    (312) 280-3204
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  • 2.  RE: American Library Association announces LibLearnX will be virtual

    Posted Sep 15, 2021 04:05 PM
    Thank you Marsha -- I appreciate that ALA has made this decision. I also think it might be worth using some of ALAs social capital to express plainly what is also possibly implied by this decision which is that Texas, in the light of Texas' recent anti-abortion legislation, is no longer a place that people dedicated to the freedom of information should be supporting with their conference dollars.

    Librarians in Texas are already scrambling trying to determine if even offering books on abortion might get them into trouble or make them the object of lawsuits. I feel it might be useful to send an explanation to the state of Texas that includes mention of their recent legislation.

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    Jessamyn West
    Chapter Councilor - Vermont
    she/her
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    Original Message


  • 3.  RE: American Library Association announces LibLearnX will be virtual

    Posted Sep 16, 2021 08:00 AM

    Thanks for those comments Jessamyn.  You articulated so well what I was thinking.  I decided in early September that I could not, in good conscience, attend in person and I know many others were feeling that way too.  I hope that ALA is carefully considering its as yet unannounced winter conference sites for 2024-2026. 

    Eileen

    --  Eileen M. Palmer Executive Director Libraries of Middlesex Automation Consortium NJLA Chapter Councilor to the ALA  27 Mayfield Ave. Edison, NJ 08837 (732) 750-2525 ext. 103 (732) 225-0910 (fax) empalmer@lmxac.org



    Original Message