The Program Planning Committee, Local Arrangements Committee, and I hope that you will enjoy spending a few days in San Antonio to renew, refresh, find old friends, meet new friends, and strengthen your skills and commitment
to serving the citizens of our great state.

The strengths we kept in our minds as we planned this year’s programs include:

• Strength through Advocacy
  Being an advocate requires astute participation in the administrative and political process; creating new advocates presupposes excellent public service and strong outreach.

Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world. Indeed, it is the only thing that ever has.  – Margaret Mead

• Poder Através de Diversidad
  Our state’s rich culture and diverse population call upon our profession to seek out and celebrate differences.

What we have to do is to find a way to celebrate our diversity and debate our differences without fracturing our communities.  – Hilary Rodham Clinton

• Strength through Collaboration
  Creative alliances benefit patrons and enrich libraries.

We will surely get to our destination if we join hands. – Kyi, Aung San Suu

• Strength through Education
  Empowering patrons as learners requires continuing professional growth and development.

Education is for improving the lives of others and for leaving your community and world better than you found it. – Marian Wright Edelman

• Strength through Democracy
  Free and open access to ideas and information is the keystone of American society.

Information is the currency of democracy. – Thomas Jefferson

Keeping with our theme, I am proud that TLA is once again offering the school library administrators conference, Strong Libraries, Strong Scores. We are also hosting the Second Annual Book Cart Drill Team Competition and the One Book, One Conference event, featuring A Portrait in Sepia.

With over 230 programs and events that explore every aspect of library development, the 2007 conference will bring new and exciting ways to build your knowledge base and network with colleagues. Some of our featured speakers this year include internationally renowned author Isabel Allende, ABC’s 20/20 correspondent Lynn Sherr, school specialist Stephen Krashen, Unshelved comic strip creators Bill Barnes and Gene Ambaum, Congresswoman Eddie Bernice Johnson, advertising legend Tim McClure, educational expert Hall Davidson, and library instruction guru Randy Hensley.

You won’t want to miss the opportunity to visit with over 450 vendors in the TLA Exhibit Hall. This year, conference attendees can enjoy the exhibit hall during uncontested time from 1 pm to 2 pm on Thursday and Friday, and the Exhibit Hall Rush Hour will take place on Thursday from 4 pm to 5 pm.

Our Saturday morning lineup features some of the best talent in library and information science. Marshall Breeding will discuss library technology for a new generation, and Stephen Krashen explores the power of pleasure reading. And, of course, you won’t want to miss Bill Barnes and Gene Ambaum.

Bring your colleagues and friends to beautiful San Antonio and enjoy the best opportunity in Texas for professional growth, networking, and fun. I’ll see you all in April!
 

CONFERENCE 07 HOMEPAGE