SLC Times

 The American Library Association (ALA) today announced two author conversations that will take place at the 2023 LibLearnX: The Library Learning Experience in New Orleans, January 27-30, 2023.

Joining LibLearnX is visual artist and author Willie Mae Brown, who will appear on the LLX Studio stage to discuss her first book, "My Selma: True Stories of a Southern Childhood at the Height of the Civil Rights Movement," available January 2023. Combining family stories of the everyday and the extraordinary, as seen through the eyes of her twelve-year-old self, Brown gives readers an unforgettable portrayal of her coming of age in a town at the crossroads of history. 

Also presenting on the LLX Studio stage are five trailblazing Black creatives with forthcoming books from Sourcebooks.  The Inclusivity in Entertainment: Uplifting Black Voices session will be hosted in conversation. The artists and authors will present their upcoming titles and discuss the creation of Black-centered content, the increasing availability of diverse stories, and what representation of identities means across genres in book publishing. The panelists include: Carell Augustus, photographer and author of "Black Hollywood: Reimagining Iconic Movie Moments," available now; Eriq LaSalle, actor, producer, and author of "Laws of Depravity," available now; Jorge Redmond, Assistant District Attorney, adjunct professor, and co-author of “Black Boy, Black Boy, available now;” and Ali Biko Sulaiman Kamanda, award-winning filmmaker, social entrepreneur, and co-author of “Black Boy, Black Boy. Caseen Gaines, director, educator, popular culture historian, and author of "When Broadway Was Black: The Triumphant Story of the All-Black Musical That Changed the World," available February 2023, will moderate the session.

LibLearnX registration is open and registrants can save with advance rates through January 15.

LibLearnX is a four-day learning conference that invites ALA members and non-members to participate in collaborative and engaging education, networking, and celebrations. Designed as an active learning experience, LibLearnX will offer a diverse selection of more than 120 education sessions, created by library professionals for library professionals. The sessions will be offered in nine primary content areas including Advocacy, Books and Authors, Equity, Diversity, Inclusion and Accessibility, Career Development and Leadership, Community Outreach and Engagement, Library Programs and Services, Mental Health, Readers' Advisory, and Technology Innovation.

From hands-on workshops to bite-sized presentations, participants will be able to create a calendar of sessions based on their preferred learning styles through four available learning formats. View the LibLearnX Program to find a preliminary list of offered education.

The LibLearnX main stage will host thought leaders and ALA leadership who will discuss topics that are important to library professionals and the future of libraries.

The LLX Marketplace will host 200 exhibitors offering the newest titles, leading technologies, and core services for libraries. Creative and collaborative activation zones will include Ideas Xchange sessions where attendees will share creative projects and enjoy peer-to-peer conversations, and ShopTalk sessions that will offer practical knowledge, tips, hot topics, and trends in bite-sized presentations. On the LLX Studio stage, subject-matter experts and thought leaders will inspire and challenge attendees with bold, and out-of-the-box thinking. See the list of participating exhibitors, with more to be added.

LibLearnX attendees can expand their networks in collaborative sessions and varied social activities including Ideas Xchange sessions, ShopTalks, the I Love My Librarian Awards, the ALA Youth Media Awards, the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Sunrise Celebration, and more. The Book and Media Awards and Andrew Carnegie Medals for Excellence in Fiction and Nonfiction will be streamed virtually to conference attendees and those watching through the LLX Digital Experience.

The LLX Digital Experience is a virtual-presentation model that offers access to a curated selection of sessions, including the Opening and Closing sessions, author speakers on the LLX Studio stage, education sessions, the ALA Youth Media Awards, and the Book and Media Awards and Andrew Carnegie Medals for Excellence in Fiction and Nonfiction. See the full list of LLX Digital Experience sessions.

Find updates on the 2023 LibLearnX: The Library Learning Experience website and follow the hashtag #LibLearnX23 and social media: ALA Twitter, @ALALibrary, ALA Facebook, and Instagram. 

Media interested in registering for the session may contact the ALA Communications and Marketing Office at cmomedia@ala.org.

About the American Library AssociationThe American Library Association (ALA) is the foremost national organization providing resources to inspire library and information professionals to transform their communities through essential programs and services. For more than 140 years, the ALA has been the trusted voice for academic, public, school, government and special libraries, advocating for the profession and the library’s role in enhancing learning and ensuring access to information for all. For more information, visit ala.org.

Original source can be found here.