ALA

I know, I know, I'm a terrible blogger. I've been meaning to write about a few things, I just haven't gotten around to it.

First: ALA. For my non-librarian readers, that's the American Library Association. I went to their annual conference in Chicago this year, for my first ALA conference. I was paid for by my employer at the university, so I had to work at our booth in the exhibition hall and attend a meeting for work. I still had the chance to attend sessions and see the other exhibits. So, here are some thoughts, highlights, and lowlights of the weekend:

• NEIL GAIMAN. Clearly, a highlight. Mr. Gaiman was at the conference, signing books and speaking at a session. I missed the first signing and was in a meeting for the second signing, but I managed to get to his panel session about censorship and comics. He was everything you would expect, rougish and British and disheveled and very smart. Then, I discovered that a very good friend had waited in line for THREE HOURS and got me a signed copy of The Graveyard Book. Mr. Gaiman doodled a little gravestone with my name on it, and I continue to be thrilled.
  
• But, that brings up something I would definitely tell other new attendees: plan everything. I missed things because I didn't know they were happening. Sure, I looked at the schedules and picked out things I wanted to go to, but I definitely didn't do all my homework on the conference, and I think I could have enjoyed things more if I were better prepared. ALA can be very overwhelming, and it's easy to miss things.
  
• The exhibit hall can be interesting, but is definitely less useful for students. We can't buy things, and the vendors aren't usually too interested in trying to give us their pitches. There was also a definite tension between vendors and librarians, and it was usually very obvious if a person was one or the other.
  
• Chicago - I really like Chicago, and I wish I had the chance to see more of it. I was usually incredibly exhausted and busy by the time I was done, and I know I enjoyed the restaurants and the sights less than I would have otherwise. But, I did eat some interesting places, so here's the rundown: Lou Manati's: Deep dish pizza, definitely disappointing, despite being recommended to us. Chicago Diner: vegetarian, and thus I'm not really qualified to judge. I'm sure it's good if you like that type of thing. Bin 36: We just had appetizers here, but they have some seriously tasty cheeses. La Madia: Stone-fired pizza, absolutely delicious. I was in bliss. Giordano's: Chicago stuffed pizza: also very, very tasty, though really filling!
  
• Other high points: hanging with my lovely friend G on our last night in Chicago, eating pizza, shopping at Lush, drinking champagne in the Hancock Building, mint-hot-fudge sundae at the Ghiradelli shop.
• Low points: being exhausted, being overwhelmed by people and social events, missing my awesome boyfriend an unexpectedly huge amount.