CSLA Conference 2008 Poster Sessions

CSLA will be presenting Poster Sessions at our Annual Conference in Sacramento in November 2008 for the third year. Poster sessions - modeled after the poster sessions at the ALA conference - offer presenters an opportunity to share information about their successful school library programs, research, and practices. Poster sessions offer you a forum in which to share ideas that call for more than a handout but less than a concurrent session presentation.

Conference attendees will appreciate the opportunity to visit poster sessions on topics such as collaborative lessons, college programs for library staff, advocacy and legislation, library events, services to school libraries, and more. All of you are doing great things at your libraries; consider applying for a poster session to share your accomplishments and ideas with others!

Poster sessions are displayed either on a whole or a half of a 4’ x 8’ mobile bulletin board in the Exhibit Hall of the Convention Center throughout the Exhibit Hours of the conference. They can also include handouts in a hanging file or folder affixed to the board. Click here to see the a sample of the poster session at the 2007 Conference.

“Connect” with your colleagues by sharing ideas through a poster session. Here is an opportunity to show case one of your successful lessons without having to present a concurrent session. Want to present but did not have time last spring to write up a concurrent session? The poster is a perfect opportunity to make connections and share. The posters will be part of our Exhibit Hall. Check out the link on the Conference Web page for inspiration from last year’s ever-growing poster displays.

The format for this year’s School Libraries Make Connections will be to display your program on a 4’ by 8’ mobile bulletin board. You may elect to use 4’ by 4’ as well. The surface is tacky and display items can be affixed to the board using Velcro, pushpins, or T-pins. There will be no electrical outlets available and it will not be necessary to stay with the display once it is set up. We are asking that you have 150 handouts available for the Conference attendees. Handouts can be in a hanging file or folder affixed to the board. The Conference Committee members will monitor and refill your folder with your display throughout exhibit time. We will have some supplies for your use. You do not need to pack a stapler, level, pushpins, or scissors. Please make sure to include your contact information as part of the display. Great conversations can continue after the Conference if you identify yourselves.

Areas of interest to Conference attendees are library classes and college programs, advocacy and legislation, library events, services to school libraries, and any other practical practice for school librarians and library personnel. Public relations, zippy bulletin or book display ideas would be great for those who can express their artistic talent that can then be reproduced by those of us with less talent. Use photographs, graphs, diagrams, or narrative text to inform. Consider this as a stand-along message.

Since there is limited space, please submit a proposal of your display, intended grade level or interest level(s). You must register for the conference to participate in the poster session.

If selected, you may set-up between 8:00am and 5:00pm on Thursday, November 20 for the Grand Opening of the Exhibit Hall. Your poster exhibit must be taken down by 6:00pm on Saturday, November 22. Any items not removed will be discarded.

If you have any questions about the arrangements, please call or email Sharon Hallberg at (530) 756-1671 or shallberg@pacbell.net; or contact Wendy Chason at wchason@djusd.k12.ca.us. If you would like to participate, please let us know as soon as possible. Please do not be passive because this Conference is seeking new participation of our membership. If you have not presented before, use this to get your feet wet.

Send your proposal by email to Sharon Hallberg or Wendy Chason by October 30.

We hope to see you at this year’s Conference while we make connections with new ideas or twists on an old theme to take back home.

Wendy Chason and Sharon Hallberg