Originally posted at dp.la

Come and learn more at these ALA events

DPLA staff are headed to the Big Easy this week for the American Library Association Annual Conference and we look forward to connecting with the broad and diverse library community. We’ll be sharing updates on our work around ebooks in four great sessions, connecting with friends and partners across the library community, exploring creative models for engagement between libraries and non-profits, and much more. Whether you are at the conference or following from afar, use #DPLAatALA on Twitter to share ideas, questions, and feedback with us and join the conversation about the future of our work.

Catch up with DPLA at the Conference

A Look at the State of the Book with DPLA
Saturday, June 23 10:30 AM – 11:30 AM
Location: Morial Convention Center, Rm 344
Speaker: John Bracken, DPLA Executive Director, tweet/follow @jsb

Stop by this session for an update on DPLA’s ebook work, including the DPLA Exchange, Open Bookshelf, and SimplyE. The update will be followed by a panel discussion exploring the evolving technology of the book, including questions such as: What do technological advances portend for literacy and knowledge? What are the cultural, technological, and commercial factors influencing the book’s future? How will the future of the book play out in education, scholarship, libraries, and publishing? How will ebook and other digital devices impact the growth of self-publishing? And, what is the role for libraries in maximizing access and use of digital books?

Update on DPLA eBook Pilot and the National Digital Platform for Libraries
Monday, June 25 10:30 AM – 11:30 AM
Location: Morial Convention Center, Rm 398-399
Speakers: Micah May, DPLA Ebook Consultant, @MicahMayNYC; Corey Christians, Director, Yavapai County Free Library District; Michael Blackwell, Director, St. Mary’s County Library

This session will feature an open discussion about the most pressing issues facing libraries around eBook service and conclude with an effort to identify actionable next steps and cross-instructional collaborators interested in moving these issues forward.

Curation in the Age of ‘E’
Monday, June 25 10:30 AM – 11:30 AM
Location: Morial Convention Center, Rm 391
Speakers: Michelle Bickert, DPLA Ebook Program Manager, @mlbickert, and Kelly Roberts, Head Librarian, Glenbard East High School

Librarians have always prided themselves on building the best collections for their communities and helping patrons find the right book, be it through recommendations and readers’ advisory, merchandising collections on shelves, or through careful collection development. Yet when it comes to eBooks and e-Audiobooks, librarians have not had the ability to control the discovery experiences, which has been driven almost entirely by the vendors that sell the e-content. Would we allow vendors to curate our physical shelves? No way. Now, through library-owned products like Library Simplified and the DPLA Exchange, libraries are taking control of their e-shelves to surface the content they know their community loves. Attendees will hear from librarians who are curating their own e-shelves and ask participants to join in a discussion about how we can better serve patrons borrowing e-content and help readers discover the right content.

Ebook Projects Lightning Round
Monday, June 25 4:00 PM – 5:00 PM
Location: Morial Convention Center, Rm 283
Moderator: Micah May, DPLA Ebook Consultant, @MicahMayNYC

Attendees at this session will receive an overview about a range of eBook projects, focusing especially on library and nonprofit-driven initiatives. This “lightning round” will include updates on COSLA’s ebook discussion, multiple individual state library projects, Library Simplified, ReadersFirst, Readium, SimplyE, and more.

Visit LYRASIS in Booth 1249 in the Exhibit Hall
In partnership with Lyrasis, DPLA is leading a new e-content marketplace built by libraries, for libraries. Stop by the Lyrasis booth to learn more about the SimplyE app, Library Simplified e-content management system, and DPLA Exchange.

Catch up with DPLA outside the Conference

Library Make ‘n’ Shake
Saturday, June 23 10:00AM – 5:00 PM
DPLA Lightning Talk during the 3:00PM – 4:30PM block
The Howlin’ Wolf, 907 S Peters St(2 blocks from the Convention Center)

The Library Make ‘n’ Shake welcomes all library staff, educators, and community partners to drop by for hands-on demos and projects accompanied by a brass band, a bar, food, and snowballs! Grab lunch or a drink and gather ideas and connections for your library. Come hear lightning talks to get the story on New Orleans community groups doing cool stuff, and learn about national non-profit partnership opportunities, including a lightning talk by DPLA. This event is free and open to the public. Registration is not required, but you can let organizers know what sessions and events you are planning to attend on Eventbrite. Follow @lib_makenshake for updates and join the conversation using #makenshake.

Happy Hour with DPLA at the Library Make ‘n’ Shake
Saturday, June 23 5:00PM – 7:00PM
The Howlin’ Wolf, 907 S Peters St (2 blocks from the Convention Center)

We are pleased to invite any and all members of DPLA’s broad community to join us and the library makers and shakers at The Howlin’ Wolf for happy hour following Saturday’s events. Stop by to chat with staff about all things DPLA, network with folks in the field, or just raise a glass to the great work of libraries and librarians. All are welcome and complimentary drink tickets will be available for early birds.