Leaping in Lake Placid

It took me a whole week to become myself again after Tari's Bat Mitzvah.  Then we kicked off our NEWBERY PROJECT and a couple of days after that I left for the NYLA conference in Lake Placid. I feel like I'm on the never ending express train, especially since things are looking to slow down anytime soon.  In a week and a half I'm off to AASL in Columbus, OH and then days after I get back my Newbery class begins through the Teacher Center!  Lots going on with many opportunities for leaping!

The NYLA conference was great! I learned a lot, tweeted more and leapt quite a few times.  I used to think when people were looking down at their phones or iPads during a workshop, they weren't paying attention.  Now I know from experience, it could very well mean the opposite.  I was looking down a lot because I was tweeting throughout each workshop I attended.  It's almost like I was writing collaborative notes.  You can find all my tweets from the conference here.

Some highlights:

The conference keynote was by David Lankes.   David is a professor at Syracuse and just amazing.  If you ever have the opportunity to hear him speak, go!  You will not regret it and I don't even think you need to be a librarian to get energized by him.  He posted his keynote on his website and I just had to share it with you! Man, was he good!

Since we are getting pumped for the release of Mr. Lemoncello's Library Olympics, it was perfect to have all these librarians in Olympic Land!  The exhibit hall was even on the site of the 1932 hockey win!

Exhibit hall for #nyla2015 is on the #Olympic ice! It's a true Library Olympics here @CGrabenstein @CastletonES pic.twitter.com/R88ZbvhnHg

— Stacey Rattner (@staceybethr) October 22, 2015

SSL Members in the 1980 Olympic Rink with a balloon torch.  When you read the book,
you'll know why I was hoping to find a flashlight for the picture instead.

I learned about using 3D printers, overcoming obstacles, great things happening all over the state in Smackdown 2020, an amazing collaboration between a special ed teacher and the librarian and so much more!  I even tried to find Greek resources for our new student from Greece. Lots of information to soak in.  Lots of laughs and camaraderie, too!

And what do you know?  I saw a college floor mate (SUNY-Binghamton, Endicott Hall, 1987-1989) and housemate (1989-90)!  Susan, who has been working at the Ellenville Public Library (home of the Nevele) for 20 years, always wanted to be a librarian; me not so much!  It took me a long and winding road to get to the amazing place that I am at now and after 25 years it was great to reconnect in our shared profession!

I even got her to leap with me!

And a leap at the banquet with the incomparable, Sue Kowalski!  She's my idol! When I grow up I want to be her! ps-She and I have a leaping contest going on!  How could the "leaping librarian" not win????

What a great conference!  It was good to see old friends from graduate school, connect with colleagues and make new friends.  Looking forward to the national conference and SSL in the Spring!

Until then, Newbery book groups begin on Tuesday! Please stay tuned for more on that!