AASL

AASL in full swing

On Friday, the Connecticut Convention Center was bustling with librarians.  The American Association of School Librarians (AASL) Conference was in full swing and my writing friend and I were not about to miss it.  We browsed through books in rows and rows of booths, scooping up publishers' catalogs and advance reader copies.  We passed vendors marketing laminators, plagiarism software, book repair tape and research databases.  We listened to Junior Library Guild employees explain how they select books.

ARCS, publisher catalogs, magazine samples, a magnifying glass and whoopee cushions!!!

As the day progressed we split up, exploring different genres, speaking with publishing representatives and reconnecting to share a laugh.  I spoke with authors I admire:  Pam Turner, Steve Sheinkin, Leslie Bulion, Lynda Mullaly Hunt.  At the Penguin booth, I picked up Hope's Gift, illustrated by Don Tate, who I met at Chautauqua.  The day flew by so fast that lunch became free candy and mints.  I drove home content; it was a day well spent.

Penguin's booth.