Charlotte Decker, librarian at the Children's Learning Center at the Public Library of Cincinatti and Hamilton County, engaged a full house of librarians and teachers when she booktalked over 100 Books Too Good to Miss for Tweens and Teens.  (Charlotte wowed the crowd Wednesday with books for the younger crowd.)   Bookcover pics on PowerPoint accompany each enticing summary and editorial.  She includes sub-genres such as 'Bullying," "In the News," "Environmental Issues," "Steam Punk," "Art Themes," "Sports." and "Dystopic Novels."   I hope to include half of her distinguished list in my 2011 budget. 

Schools and Libraries for the Net Generation
Mankato MN Public Schools are lucky to have Doug Johnson as their Director of Media & Technology.  Find his presentation in wiki form at http://dougjohnson.wikispaces.com.  All of his stuff is on Creative Commons so we have his permission to share it with others.  It all revolved around NetGens (b. 1982-2000) and their demographics, values, and learning styles, as well as their use of information and technology. He explained that it will be easier to change the way we teach than to change the way students learn. 

Taking Care of Business
President Nancy Schmidtmann made sure this year's business meeting took place in 65 minutes in our Convention Center room.  Boxed lunches were gobbled and minutes and other handouts were read.  Sr. Mary Gallagher retired her post as editor of Catholic Library World and was properly lauded and gifted with a quilt, photo plaque, and baseball tickets!  Maxine Lucas, website committee chair, announced the new CLA website and urged us to check out and comment on the enhancements at http://www.cathla.org/newsite/ before it's officially launched.  Drexel University will extend CLA members a 20% discount on its online Library Programs!  Sara Baron gave us the recent CLA survey results and asked us all to fill out the Heritage Fund questionnaire.  The Heritage Fund will help us head to 100 years of excellence:  1921--2021.  I asked Sr. Jean Bostley, SSJ, "How many folks registered for the CLA Convention?" and she answered, "65, but there were 150 total librarians registered for NCEA.  We'll work to recruit those 85 non-members!"  The Academic section has officially changed its name to Academic Libraries, Archives, & Library Education. Chapter and Section Committee chair Annette Thibodeaux reminded us to book our room at the Hilton in New Orleans for April 26--29, 2011 asap since the Jazz Fest happens that weekend.  Laissez le bontemps roulez!

One last run through the Exhibits scored me some freebie Abbey press booklets for teens and adults, as well as the World Book "Cite It Right" posters with citation examples based on the new MLA 7.  Thank goodness my roommates Eileen and Julanne are driving home Friday and have room for this flyer's excess Convention schwag! 

Now to meet Kathy Steves, Eileen Franke,  Julanne Good and Sara Baron for supper at the Foshay...