By Angela Sponer

Sunny SoCal, author signings, meeting potential future employers, Dan Rather, Disneyland, reunions with library school acquaintances, and educational sessions, were just a portion of how I spent my time at the American Library Association Annual in Anaheim. What a whirlwind of a weekend the ALA Annual turned out to be! This was the second ALA Annual I attended, and each time I return home refreshed with a strategy in mind, positive outlook, and better educated about the library profession.

As a student volunteer for Wayne State University's School of Library and Information Science, it was my "job" to talk to potential students and offer them my perspective on WSU's SLIS. I put "job" in quotations because it didn't feel like work at all. After talking with all types of library staff from a youth room assistant, to an adult services librarian, and an academic library Dean, it is clear that ALA's mission of advocacy for libraries and the profession naturally rings through in the words spoken by people who live and love libraries. Every person I met was incredibly enthusiastic and proud of their library, no matter what capacity they were involved. For example, I met a retired esthetician who volunteered at her library, and thought it would be important to attend the ALA Annual to see what she could learn to benefit her library.

I took away many ideas from the ALA Annual, one being that new technology brings an exciting opportunity to the library profession. Librarians are going to have to live up to a higher standard of knowledge, which will do wonders for all types of libraries. Multi-faceted librarians who work hard to do everything from manage their own databases, provide excellent reference and programming, and advocate for their library, will help to keep libraries not only relevant but important institutions in their community. It is especially encouraging for a student to see that WSU SLIS is ready to meet the profession's need with elective class offerings and additional programs like the Graduate Certificate in Information Management. Another idea I have always known, but was reminded of is that there is always more to learn and more thoughts to be expressed, discussed, and shared regarding growth in the library world. One weekend is a commitment, but not nearly enough to fully become aware of all a librarian needs to know.