Interact with speakers and other attendees during each of these hour-long sessions on a variety of exciting topics. 

These interactive programs from ALA’s Washington Office, the Office of Intellectual Freedom and several other divisions and offices will be the next best thing to being right at the Annual Conference itself.

Topics will include accessing stimulus money for broadband deployment, greening your library and best customer service.

Some of the featured programs are:

• Be My Guest: Customer Service from the Best- Monday, July 13, 9:30 am

  Learn ways to make library patrons feel welcome and have a positive experience.
  
  

• Active Shooter in the Library!, Monday, July 13, 10:30 am

  Ask attendees to imagine being caught in an active shooter scenario, walk the audience through surviving an attack, and provides resources for safety training. Featuring the film, "Shots Fired!" When Lightening Strikes, " attendees will learn to recognize red flag indicators in the workplace, the survival mindset, courses of action during an incident, and actions to take when law enforcement responds. A panel of university, urban and suburban law enforcement officers offers advice and preventative measures.

  Speakers: Phillip Johnson, Director, University of Notre Dame Police Dept.; Williams Roscop Officer, Mount Prospect Police Dept.
  
  

• Book Challenges in West Bend Wisconsin, Monday, July 13, 11:30 am
  Three presenters from the West Bend, WI Public Library will be discussing the organized book challenges they face.
  
  

• Small Scale Green, Monday, July 13, 12:30 pm
  Much attention has been given to sustainable construction projects for new library buildings, but there also are a variety of ways libraries can “green” existing facilities or small renovation projects. This program will include discussion of techniques used in environmentally conscious renovation and restoration projects as well as new maintenance programs being put in place in existing buildings to reduce energy consumption and improve air quality.
  
  

• Walk the Line : The Fine Line Between Selection and Censorship- Monday, July 13, 1:30 pm
  Selection Policies notwithstanding, every librarian faces the challenge of self-censorship when dealing with collection developmet.  If you've ever paused before ordering an item out of fear of a challenge from the community, this program is for you. Panelists will discuss walking the fine line between selection and censorship within the areas of graphic novels, edgy and urban fiction,music, nonfiction and religion.
  
  

• Forever Green:Updating Fundraising Basics for Growth and Sustainability- Monday, July 13, 2:30 pm

  Panelists will illustrate and provide practical tips on how refreshing your fundraising basics can lead to unexpected successes
  
  

• Overview of the Broadband Deployment and Infrastructure Development: How Libraries Can Access the $7.2 Billion- Monday, July 13, 3:30 pm

  John Windhausen, Jr. is President of Telepoly Consulting, provides legal and regulatory advice to the American Library Association. From 1999 to 2004, he served as President of the Association for Local Telecommunications Services, the leading trade association representing the facilities-based Competitive Local Exchange Carriers. From 1996 to 1999 he worked as General Counsel for the Competition Policy Institute, a consumer-oriented advocacy organization promoting competition for energy and telecom services.
  Mr. Windhausen served for 9 years (1987-1996) as Senior Counsel and Counsel to the U.S. Senate Commerce Committee, where he helped draft the 1992 Cable Act and the Telecommunications Act of 1996. He began his career at the FCC as a staff attorney from 1984-87. Mr. Windhausen graduated from Yale University and the UCLA School of Law.
  
  

• Naked Ladies in the Library! or Public Art in Public Libraries: Building Lasting Alliances and Creating Social Capital- Tuesday, July 14, 9:00 am
  A panel of staff and the Director of the San Diego County Library will describe and discuss their ongoing public art program, and its success in partnering with a variety of diverse communities. Mural and mosaic projects have created inclusive communities with their public libraries in new relationships.Speakers: Jose Aponte, Director, San Diego County Library; Ruth Ketchum, Principal Librarian, Central Region, SDCL; Bertha Huertero, Circulation Services Manager, SDCL; Elizabeth McKenty or Rebecca Serrano, Lakeside Branch, SDCL; Gretchen Schmidt, Branch Manager, Del Mar Branch, SDC
  

• You Got Me, Do You Like Me? Evaluating Next Generation Catalogs-Tuesday, July 14, 10:00 am
  Congratulations, you have acquired (or may soon acquire) a Next Generation, Web 2.0 catalog—now what? Hear from a panel of academic and public information professionals who have been evaluating their open source and off-the-shelf next-gen catalogs. Topics will include usability testing, ongoing assessment, vendor collaboration, and user expectations in the transition to next-gen products. Speakers include Cody Hanson, technology librarian, University of Minnesota; Ross Shanley-Roberts, special projects technologist, Miami University Libraries; and Eli Neiburger, associate director of IT and product development, Ann Arbor District Library. This program is co-sponsored by the RUSA MARS Local Systems and Services Committee and the LITA Next Generation Catalog User Group.
  
  

•  Conversants- Tuesday, July 14, 11:00 am
  Explore a new way of looking at librarianship as centered on learning and enhancing the conversation of communities. 
  
  

• Learning to Lead- Tuesday, July 14, 12:00 pm

  Leadership takes place at all levels and in all types of libraries, but it doesn’t just happen. Leadership is a learned skill. Participants will gain real-life lessons on learning to lead; hear varying viewpoints on leadership training and receive valuable resources and materials for learning to lead.

  Speakers: Mary Pergander, Director, Deerfield Public Library; Merri Monks, Director, Learning Resource Center, American College of Education; Crystal Megaridis, Manager, Library Services, Praxair; Janet Colwell, Children’s & Programming Associate, Warren-Newport Public Library; Lauren Collen, School Library Media Specialist, Greenwood Elementary School
  
  The Virtual Conference is perfect for those who couldn’t make it to Chicago this year or for Conference attendees who missed sessions due to busy or conflicting schedules.All full registrants to the ALA Conference will have access to these sessions after the conference.  Those not attending Conference in-person can register for the Virtual Conference online through the ALA Web site.  The cost is $215 for ALA members, $210 for division members, $120 for student members, $145 for retired members, $298 for non-members and $215 for institutional members.
  
  

  Libraries or schools can also receive the following special group rates: $300 for one to three employees; $500 for four to nine employees; and $1000 for 10-plus employees.  Register online at http://ala.org/ala/conferencesevents/reg/index.cfm.
  
  If you are having any problems with registration please contact Customer Service at 1-800-974-3084