ALA: Part One

I'm attending my very first ALA Annual Conference this year, and I've come to 2 conclusions. The first is that 90% of librarians look alike. I keep thinking I see people I know, but it turns out it's just someone who looks exactly like them. It's kind of eerie. When walking down the street, I play "spot the librarian." They're easy to pick out of a crowd - heavily Caucasian, primarily middle-aged, with sensible shoes and easy care hair.

The second conclusion I've come to is that these eminently respectable-looking women and (few) men can drink more alcohol than any other group I've ever encountered. It's awe-inspiring, really, to watch a frail-looking older lady in a sweater with a kitty cat on it down pretty much an entire bottle of wine in approximately 12.7 seconds.

Of course, I'm doing more at ALA than watching people imbibe their body weight in alcohol. I've attended workshops, visited the exhibit hall, and met a bunch of really cool people. More on my experiences will follow, plus more tales from my library. I've really been neglecting this blog shamefully, and my goal is to begin updating at least twice per week. Let's see how long my good intentions can last.....

Questions from Parents

I actually do enjoy talking to the parents of teens. Many of the teens who come in to the library appear to have been raised by wolves, so it’s nice when a parent is interested and involved in their teen's life. However, some of their questions can be, well…..

“I want a book for my fifteen-year-old. It should be teen book, but without sex or violence, and the kid should get along with her parents.”

“Can you make sure my daughter doesn’t talk to any boys?”

"Why did my son get kicked out? He only hit his sister!"
"Hitting people is not allowed in the library."
"But it was only his sister!"

“I need a book with no conflict.”

“Are there any Harry Potter books without magic?”

“I don’t mind fantasy in books, but I don’t like evil. Do you understand the difference?”

"My son was here for three hours yesterday. Tell me everything he did and everyone he talked to.”

“Do you have any adult movies?”
“Yes, they’re up on the first fl-"
“No, I mean, you know, adult movies. Like, in a different section?”