I am grateful for the opportunity to have attended CALCON16 through a scholarship for MLS students.  Having just started a new position in public libraries in the last six months, the conference gave me so many new ideas to explore and try.

I was inspired by the presentation on creating dynamic displays given by some folks at Castlewood Concept Library.  Creating engaging displays is something I am passionate about and I learned that displays are not always all books, but can include trinkets and other items.  I have already implemented some of their ideas for my displays and look forward to coming up with more creative designs. 

I was amazed by the passion and enthusiasm of April Miller and Jackie Kropp on their presentation for seducing romance readers.  I am not a romance reader, but I left with tons of knowledge on romance genres and recommended authors in each genre which I can’t wait to share with patrons.

From implementing trivia in bars to creating effective makerspaces, or inviting big-name authors to your library, I learned a lot and look forward to attending again next year!