HomeOver 150 programs to be offered at PLA National Conference

Contact: Kathleen Hughes
Communications Manager
PLA
312-280-4028

For Immediate Release
October 10, 2005

Over 150 programs to be offered at PLA National Conference

CHICAGO - Over 150 continuing education programs and talk tables will be offered during the Public Library Association's (PLA) 11th National Conference, "PLA 2006," to be held March 21-25, 2006, in Boston.

Utilizing PLA's educational track system, conference-goers will be able to build schedules tailored to their specific information needs. Program tracks cover eight areas of specialization: administration/leadership; collections/tech services; facilities; marketing; serving adults; serving youth; staffing; and technology. Talk tables on many subjects also are planned for each time slot.

Preconference programs on: the library as community partner; early literacy; cultural programming; organizing and staffing libraries effectively; managing building projects; the fantasy genre; and readers' advisory for history are scheduled to be held immediately preceding the conference.

In addition to these continuing education programs, the conference will feature nearly 800 exhibits booths and a number of special exhibit events including an opening reception and coffee breaks scheduled throughout the conference.

A number of special author events are scheduled for the conference including:

• Preconference Luncheon (Tuesday, March 21, 2006) featuring Anna Deavere Smith

• Opening General Session (Wednesday, March 22, 2006) featuring Linda Ellerbee. Support provided by Highsmith, Inc. for this event.

• Book Buzz (Wednesday, March 22, 2006) featuring Nancy Pearl

• Author Luncheons (Thursday, March 23, and Friday, March 24) featuring Elie Wiesel (support provided by Farrar, Straus & Giroux for Wiesel luncheon) and Jon Scieszka (support provided by Penguin Group USA for Scieszka luncheon) with more authors to be announced.

• Beantown Banquet, sponsored by Audio Publishers Association, (Thursday, March 23, 2006) featuring Julia Spencer-Fleming, Clive Brill, and Joe Finder.

• Closing Session (Saturday, March 25, 2006) with keynote speaker to be announced.

The conference also will feature several social events including a New Member Orientation/Reception scheduled for Wednesday, March, 22, 2006, at 6 p.m. and an all conference reception slated for Friday evening of the conference.

Visit www.placonference.org to register for the conference, to reserve housing, or to see more information.