• ECC News

Event Recap: Texas Library Association (TLA) Annual Conference 2018 | May 10, 2018

By Stevie Durocher (ECC Committee Chair)

TLA is known for being one of the best conferences of the year, and this one certainly didn’t disappoint; everything is bigger, better, and bookier in Texas! The 2018 conference took place in Dallas from April 3-6.

Kid lit authors were in the spotlight on a number of stages.  Junot Díaz delivered a keynote presentation, in which he discussed his debut picture book Islandborn, a touching story about immigration and what connects us all.  Max Brallier accepted his Bluebonnet Book Award in a moving speech about anxiety and acceptance, and a group of students from around Texas presented him with the award and very sweetly talked about their love of his work.  I was lucky enough to attend the Bluebonnet Luncheon, and it was a grand celebration of all things reading, writing, and book making.

In the School & Library field, we love Texas’ many state awards!  Books selected to be part of Texas’ 2×2, Bluebonnet, Tejas Star, Lone Star, Little Maverick, Maverick, Spirit of Texas, Tayshas, Topz, and Lariat award programs were highlights of booths all across the convention floor.  And the Texas love continued out of the convention center; programming gets a Texas-sized makeover at TLA with cowboy hats, signature Texas cocktails, and LOTS of guacamole!

It was a wonderful week in Texas!