I attended my second AASL National Conference in St. Louis in October, and it was every bit as impactful as I remembered: the keynote assemblies, free books and author/illustrator signings, exhibit hall, vendors, networking, bags full of free swag, idea lab, poster sessions, panels, and too many concurrent sessions to count.

And most of all the positive energy boost you get from being with “your people,” a group who understands all that your job entails: the messy parts, the hard parts, and the joyous parts.

 

It’s a difficult time to be an educator and librarian, and it feels more important than ever to share our experiences and collective wisdom and to support each other. That’s what the conference is all about.

This time around, I added a new dimension to the conference experience: I brought my principal. 

Did you know AASL offers a free administrator registration when a librarian registers? This is a brilliant way to invite our school administrators into our librarian clubhouse to give them an inside view on what matters to us, what concerns us, and what energizes and inspires us. 

When I reached out to my principal to invite her to attend with me, she said “Yes!” right away. There are three tremendous benefits I gained by attending the AASL National Conference with my principal.

1. Deepening our relationship

On the seven-hour drive to St. Louis and the three days taking in all the conference had to offer, my principal and I got to know each other on a deeper, personal level. This is just her second year in our building, and I learned volumes about her family and what is important to her. 

As I listened to her talk about her experiences teaching and leading in other districts, I gained a new appreciation for the depth of her expertise. She has faced challenges head-on that would make a lesser leader turn and run.

2. Advocating for libraries

A big plus of taking my principal to a national conference is that the whole experience was one big advocacy session for libraries, intellectual freedom, literacy, and book joy. She was sitting beside me as we heard librarian Amanda Jones talk about the abuse she suffered from book banners, and it led to some excellent conversations that helped me know I would be supported if intellectual freedom came under attack in my community.

3 librarians

Meeting librarians Amanda Jones and Tom Bober

3. Feeling supported and valued

My principal made me feel valued in big and small ways on this trip. When I asked if we could leave earlier than we had originally planned on Wednesday so I could attend an author event with Amanda Jones, author of That Librarian, my administrator immediately agreed. 

She ran herself ragged on the exhibitor floor waiting in long lines for book signings and helping me collect more free books for our library than I could ever get on my own. 

When I presented a session, she transformed into my cheerleader. She sat on the front row, smiling the whole time. She took photos of me presenting and participating in the conference and posted them on our district’s social media page with glowing words of support and praise. It was the workplace equivalent of hanging my artwork on the refrigerator; she was holding up my professional work for all to see and deeming it worthy of notice and appreciation.

 

So much of the work librarians do is unseen. Attending the conference opened my principal’s eyes to the larger issues weighing on our minds as we go about our daily work of running library programs and providing books and resources to our patrons. It made visible the emotional weight we are all carrying as we follow the news and learn about how intellectual freedom is being attacked all around the country.

I am the only certified librarian in my small, rural district in Kansas. In fact, I’m the only certified librarian in my entire county. Many districts have eliminated library positions, so I don’t take the support I receive for granted. My principal generously supports my work by dedicating resources to library purchases and programs, and by attending the AASL National Conference with me, her actions show a commitment to valuing my professional work and all that the library program contributes to our school.

How can you invite your administrators into your library clubhouse? You don’t have to attend a national conference to do it. Look for ways you can advocate for library issues with building and district leaders. While you’re at it, don’t forget to mention that the 2027 conference will be in Portland, Oregon, and you wouldn’t mind having a travel buddy.