ALA Friday

So, I’m on my way to Washington, DC, for the annual conference of the American Library Association. It’s already started, and runs until Tuesday.

This year, there will be an actual Graphic Novel pavilion on the exhibit floor. If you’ve attended a comic-con, this would be where all the publishers and dealers would be located. ALA actually offers a variety of passes. I could spend $300 to get the full package, which includes various panels and such, or I could spend $25 just for the exhibits hall. Since I’m a stealth librarian (cataloging books and what-not for Barnes & Noble), I opted for this pass.

Like I said, the GN pavilion is on the exhibits floor, it’s a mini comic-con within the bigger librarian conference. Lots of publishers promoting graphic novels, lots of librarians seducing other librarians with graphic novels, and everyone having a grand time.

I’ll be staying at the AYH youth hostel, where I used to live and work. Dormitory beds, bath down the hall, but it’s super cheap, has free wi-fi, a kitchen, and is a short walk from the convention center. North of the convention center is a Giant Foods store (once considered massive, now just a regular grocery store) so I’ll probably dine there instead of partaking of the overpriced dining options.

Oh, and unlike a regular comic-con, there will be lots of free books handed out! Librarians are on the front lines of advocacy. We’re kind of like bloggers without blogs. People ask us what’s good, and we recommend what’s good. If we really like something, we give it an award, which is a Seal of Approval for books, which publishers love.

What was the last good free book I read? It was a book set in middle school. A weird kid makes an origami Yoga finger puppet. Other kids start asking Yoda for advice, advice which turns out to be really good. It’s a fun book, teaches a soft lesson, and even includes easy, do-it-yourself origami Yoda instructions! (Advice not included.)

(Sorry, I’ll try and find the exact title information later. No wi-fi on the hoi polloi Boston-DC trains, only on Acela.

[Edit: Here it is: The Strange Case of Origami Yoda, by Tom Angleberger.]

That’s all for now. Just left Wilmington. Four more stops.