Back to Reality...

Well, now that we are back to work (and back home in Rancho), we can look at CLA 2010 and at least what I would say is "What a truly amazing conference."

As I mentioned in a previous post, our Rancho Cucamonga Public Library is now really seen as a trend-setting organization, with great, innovative ideas and an enthusiastic staff. We had a number of big-time Library Directors come to our booth to check out the PALs. (Their children's staff and branch managers dragged them over to check out what we were doing and after seeing the PALs, they gave the green light to their staff to go forward to getting a PAL for their library. Well, libraries, since many of these big library systems have 20 or 30 branches!) And there was at least one big-time Library Director who saw the PALs on her own and was bringing her staff to the booth and basically telling them that they needed to get some PALs because the PALs addressed the early childhood education component that she wanted her library to go down.)

I was also told that on Sunday, Maureen Sullivan, a *nationally* known and respected library consultant (who will probably be the next ALA president) came by the booth and was *totally* impressed with the PALs. She mentioned that we absolutely had to patent/copyright them (I have already started working on this) and also that she strongly felt that the PALs had national implications. Wow, if such is true then our PALs have the potential to be a real game changer for what we do. (Basically, we thought we could rent out the PALs but from what we found out over the weekend is that a *lot* of California libraries want to *buy* them. I guess if in California libraries want them, then libraries outside of California also might.)

Finally, I need to once again thanks everyone who has done whatever needed to be done to get us to where we are today. And a special thanks to Michelle and Renee. Renee did an amazing job leading up to, and at the conference, of organizing us and being the leading "PAL evangelist" at our program (to say nothing about embracing the concept of "play and learn" from day one.)

And of course to Michelle for having divine inspiration for the original vision of "play and learn" over 18 months ago. Believe me, Michelle is now a true superstar in the California library community. (I couldn't walk anywhere with her without someone saying "Hey Michelle! Love the PALs!") The State Library truly understands her PAL vision, and more important (for us) will more than likely continue to fund this vision.

(And I love this photo of Michelle and Renee from our in-service program in December! Click on the photo for a larger image.)