TLA 1998 Conference Preview

San Antonio: city of history, romance, and for four days this April, a city of Texas librarians and library supporters meeting, mingling, learning, and sharing at what promises to be the best ever Texas Library Association Annual Conference. The theme of the 1998 Conference, "Texas Libraries: Local Touch, Global Reach," will be explored through the 10 pre-conferences, 220 speakers and over 200 events that make up this conference. In the words of TLA President Barbara Immroth, "every day, for every user, we perform both simultaneously, offering our local touch and global reach."

Attendees will find programs that address the needs of all phases of school, public, and academic library work including m-anagement and administration, electronic services, interlibrary cooperation, youth services, and career development. Conference attendees will have the opportunity to browse the hundreds of exhibits, visit with dozens of famous authors including M.E. Kerr, Victor Martinez, and Brian Jacques, and hear from the 10 featured speakers including Dan Rather, author Julia Alvarez, management expert Peg Neuhauser, and First Lady of Texas Laura Bush. And when it’s time to relax, attendees will find themselves in one of the most beautiful and charming cities in the United States, with a wide variety of diversions from conference social functions to quiet dinners on the River Walk.

This year’s TLA Annual Conference will begin on Wednesday, April 1 (a change from previous conferences which began on Tuesday), with a day devoted to 10 exciting and challenging preconferences. Topics featured at the preconferences will include noted management guru Alice Gresham (following on last year’s successful TLA preconference) who will describe how to build community partnerships that cross cultural and institutional boundaries; library consultant Sandra Nelson on how to integrate the new Public Library Association planning process into your library; and storytellers Elida Bonet and Elizabeth Ellis who will explore the "Basics of Bilingual Storytelling." The more technically inclined can choose from several automation and networking programs including a panel of computer experts who will discuss how to maintain security in the electronic library; an exploration of "Service Models for the Emerging Digital Library;" and a program on the emerging role of distance learning in libraries. Other topics will include an all-star panel discussion on how to do dynamic collection development in your library; a panel of writers and publishers describing how to collect and promote non-fiction resources for young people, a program on cooperative learning applications; and another on grant writing featuring expert advice from Dorinda Rolle of the the Nonprofit Resource Center of Texas.

Veteran TLA attendees who have come to expect interesting, nationally prominent featured speakers will not be disappointed at this year’s line-up. Organizational development specialist Peg Neuhauser will bring her 16 years of experience to attendees at the first general session as she describes her fascinating theory of "tribal warfare" in organizations. Second general session speaker Dan Rather, anchor of the CBS Evening News—a Texas native who is one of the most universally recognized media figures in the world—is the embodiment of local touch and global reach. Also at the second general session, First Lady of Texas Laura Bush will announce the public libraries chosen to receive the second annual Texas Book Festival awards.

Other featured speakers include Julia Alvarez, well-known author of such books as How the García Girls Lost Their Accents and ¡Yo! Alvarez will charm listeners with her personal and cultural experiences that include her exile at age 10 from the Dominican Republic. Attendees at the first annual Adult Services Breakfast will meet Anne Perry, the author of a series of popular mystery novels set in Victorian London. William Diehl, best-selling author of Sharkey’s Machine and Primal Fear, will enthrall attendees at the Friends and Trustees Luncheon with his amazing life experiences that include witnessing the crash of the Hindenberg, being babysat by Mae West, as a bomber pilot in World War II, and official photographer for Martin Luther King, Jr. Other featured speakers are the uproariously funny children’s author Peggy Rathmann, winner of the 1996 Caldecott medal; John Ridley, author of Stray Dogs, adapted as the recent film U-Turn, directed by Oliver Stone; American Library Association President Barbara Ford, and Mexican Library Association President Elsa Ramírez Leyva.

With over 200 programs, conference attendees will find many topics to fit their needs. Managers and administrators can choose between such programs as "English or Spanish? Developing Collections for U.S. Hispanics" (April 2, 2–3:50 p.m.), "Beyond Lobbying 101: Take Your Advocacy to the Next Level" (April 3, 10–11:20 a.m.), and "Outsourcing: Can it Work for Your Library?" (April 4, 10–11:20 a.m.). Many programs will address the role of electronic services in libraries including "Connecting with Our Patrons: Reference Services in the Digital Library" (April 3, 12 noon –1:50 p.m.), and "Between a Block and a Hard Place: How to Filter (or Not Filter) Public Internet Access" (April 4, 10–11:20 a.m.). Many programs will feature prominent authors for children and adults such as "Musicians of the Sun: A Visit with Gerald McDermott" (April 2, 10–11:50 a.m.), "Life Becomes Art: The McKissacks’ Message for Young Readers" (April 2, 2–3:50 p.m.), and "Furry Tails, Funny Tales: A Conversation with Lynn Munsinger" (April 4, 11–11:50 a.m.).

EXHIBITS

As anyone who has been to TLA knows, a high point of the conference experience is the dazzling array of exhibits of library products and services. This year will be no exception with more than 400 companies offering products and services that range from books to automation services, from puppets to Internet connections, from consulting services to storytelling. Vendors will fill more than 700 booths in both exhibit halls of the San Antonio Convention Center.

The exhibit hall is also an excellent place to network with vendors and colleagues and to comparison shop products and services you need to run your library. Allow plenty of time to fully explore the exhibits, which offer attendees the unique opportunity to conduct a hands-on evaluation of library products.

Conference attendees can take a look at the exhibit hall in advance on the TLA Web page at http:// www.txla.org. To view the conference map, select "TLA Conference" at the top of the TLA Web page (http://www.txla.org). From the 1998 conference page, select "Exhibitor Information," then click on "Exhibit Hall Map."

Another first this year will be the presence of a number of companies from Mexico—talk about "global reach!" Be sure to stop by and say bienvenidos to these new companies.

Exhibitors have worked with various TLA units to bring you several special activities to feature their products and services. These include the New Technology Showcase, the Authors’ Autograph Area, Net Fair, and the Storytellers Vendor Showcase.

Again this year, conference goers can duck into the Internet Room to check their e-mail or explore the Internet. Dozens of Internet workstations connected with a T-1 line will be available as will Net-knowledgeable librarians who will be on hand to assist attendees. The Internet Room will be located in the North Exhibit Hall.

While you are in the exhibit halls, be sure to thank your favorite companies and sales reps for being there. In addition to booth and member fees, many vendors support TLA in a number of important ways, including sponsoring special events and underwriting awards.

ENTERTAINMENT

Whether your thing is historical sites or night life or amusement parks, San Antonio will charm and entertain you. TLA will get you started with a series of evening conference events that will allow you to meet and mingle with your colleagues while enjoying the landmarks of San Antonio. Check your conference program for more information.

Welcome Party at the San Antonio Museum of Art. This architectural masterpiece, located in the old Lone Star Brewery, is listed in the National Register of Historic Places. Party goers can mingle with colleagues while browsing the museum’s notable permanent collections of Latin American, European and Asian art. (April 1, 6:30-8:30 p.m.)

President’s Party at the San Antonio Central Library. Meet old friends and make new ones in the surroundings of one of the most remarkable libraries in the country. This architectural masterpiece is a must-see for all conference attendees.

Doo-Wop Sock Hop at the Science Fiction Room of Planet Hollywood. Rug-cutters will want to put on their dancing shoes and head to the second annual Doo-Wop Sock Hop Thursday night from 9:00 p.m. to midnight.

Other conference recreational events include San Antonio walking tours (leaving at 7:30 a.m. Thursday and Saturday from the Patio of the States adjacent to the convention center), the tenth annual Hetherington Fun Run/Walk (Friday, April 3, 7:30 a.m.), and the TPALS annual Conference Golf Tournament (Wednesday, April 1, 1:30 p.m.).

Museums and historical sites. In addition to the San Antonio Museum of Art, site of the Conference Welcome Party), San Antonio boasts several wonderful museums including the McNay Art Museum, housed in what was once a private home and surrounded by beautiful gardens, this museum will be featuring "O’Keeffe and Texas," an exhibit of over fifty paintings by Georgia O’Keeffe, as well as an impressive permanent collection; the Hertzberg Circus Collection contains more than 20,000 items related to the history of the Big Top; and the Institute of Texan Cultures, celebrating the Lone Star State’s diverse ethnic heritage. Historical sites abound in San Antonio, documenting the city’s three centuries of dramatic events. Within easy walking distance of the Convention Center and all conference hotels is the Alamo, the city’s best known landmark where, in 1836, rebel Texans held off the Mexican army for 13 days. The Alamo is the first stop on the Mission Trail which also includes the beautiful Mission San Jose, Mission Concepcion, Mission San Juan Capistrano, and the Mission San Francisco de la Espada. The Spanish Governor’s Palace, finished in 1749 and called by National Geographic the "most beautiful building in San Antonio, is a must-see for any history buff. And be sure to leave plenty of time to explore the River Walk, an urban masterpiece of cobblestone and flagstone paths bordering both sides of the San Antonio River. Visitors can stroll along this leisurely thoroughfare, sampling the great restaurants, nightclubs, and cafes.

Restaurants. San Antonio has restaurants to cater to any palate and any budget; here are just a few. For the city’s trademark Mexican food, try the traditional cuisine at Piedras Negras de Noche (1312 South Laredo); the well known Mi Tierra Café and Bakery (218 Produce Row in Market Square, 210/225-1262); or for lunch (if you can get in), Mexican Manhattan at (110 Soledad, 210/223-3913). For upscale dining, try L’Etoile (6106 Broadway, 826-4551), French cuisine in a relaxed atmosphere. The Olmos Pharmacy, serving up the best malts and shakes in town since 1938 (Hildebrand and McCullough). The Liberty Bar and Restaurant (328 E. Josephine, 210/227-1187) is a local institution and a favorite of politicians and newspaper reporters. In the King William District, try historic Guenther House Restaurant at 129 East Guenther (210/227-1061) or the Babylon Grill (910 S. Alamo, 210/229-9335). For Chinese, head for Hung Fong Chinese Restaurant a San Antonio landmark at 3624 Broadway (210/822-9211). For a drink and a little local history, visit the fabled Roosevelt Bar (as in the president, who recruited many of his Rough Riders here) in the historic Menger Hotel at 204 Alamo Plaza (210/223-4361). A plaque marks the spot where Carrie Nation drove her ax into the bar (it has since been repaired).