If, like me, you are counting the days till AASL, the biennial convergence of our people, you’ll likely be pulling your calendar together around now.  Yes, there’s a lot going on!  I am truly looking forward to the speakers, the authors, the sessions, the friends, and yes, the dancing.

When the sessions and the dinners and receptions are over, head back to the Convention Center and the Hyatt for some open-space, unconferency fun.

Plan to drink some coffee.  You are going to want to add these two events to your late-night schedules.

1. Hack the Association! It’s your turn! Thursday, November 4, 10PM till midnight, Room E 171-172 #AASLHack

The (r)evolution is (literally!) in your hands. It starts in Columbus. We’re hosting honest conversations about OUR association and in what directions we’d like it to grow. Whether you are an early-career professional or a veteran, together we’ll  explore (r)evolution.

Join us as we crowd-source the following questions about AASL? What’s next?

• What is AASL already doing right?
• How we can work together to move our association forward?
• How can we ensure all members feel wanted “at the table”?
• How can we make our Association cooler, smarter, better, more inclusive? W

From our musical chairs-type, highly inclusive panel to our Hackathon tables led by early-career, high profile TLs, this is going to be both fun and productive.

Check out Shannon Miller and Andy Plemmons’ post Let’s Hack the Association at AASL National ThisYear!

2. Our 2nd Unconference and first ever AASL School Library Trivia Quiz: Friday, November 5, 9:00 PM till Midnight:  (a pub-type , Quizzo-type event) #aaslunconf

Join us at the Hyatt Regency Columbus Union Ballroom for our AASL unConference!  No keynotes! No panels! An opportunity to share even if you did not submit a proposal! The focus is on networking, informal peer-to-peer learning, PLN building, sharing!  Check out my reflection on the inaugural event at Hartford 2013.

For the unConf: Think of conversations you’d like to lead or participate in or ideas you just want to discuss or an idea you’d like to incubate and be prepared to share them on sticky notes using these or any other prompts:

• I want to discuss . .
• I want to know more about . .
• I can lead a conversation about . .
• I have an incubator idea and I’d love feedback on . .

We can start the planning on this Padlet.

Of course, there will be a Smackdown session.  Feel free to add you best ideas on slides NOW to our Smackdown Google Presentation. (http://tinyurl.com/aasl15smackdown)

And there’s more!  This year, in the final hour, we’ll be introducing a very late-night Library Trivia Quizzo-type, pub quiz-type trivia event.  You’ll be able to gather and name a team, and compete for big-big prizes.  (Well, maybe prizes, but definitely fun!)

Please help us spread the word and share these important hashtags:  #AASL15  #AASLHack #aaslunconf #aaslsmackdown

Links:

• Unconf Conversation Grid
• Smackdown
• unConference poster