ALA Annual Conference at Home
Welcome to your How to Conference At Home resource page!
Throughout the conference we’ll be here with our “How to Conference At Home” tips & tools — offering you some fun ideas on how to recreate the ALA Annual experience from your own home. Print DIY conference badges for your pets, make your own ribbons to your heart’s content, and share the fun on social media — you may even win some bragging rights!
Follow us!
Hashtags: #ALAAC21 and #ConferenceAtHome
You can also check back here anytime you need to take a break from the hustle and bustle of clicking from one session to another. Grab some coloring sheets, play around with our Canva templates, and relax a moment.
Yeah, but what do I get?
Two short words that we all relish — Bragging Rights. Share your #ConferenceAtHome pics with us on social and we can bestow upon you a lovely bragging rights certificate.
Plus, we may have a few other things to give away 😊 Tune in to find out.
![Bragging rights certificate template. Awarded to [name]THe bearer of this certificate holds exclusive bragging rights on the subject of [insert topic]](/sites/default/files/inline-images/Bragging%20Rights%20EXAMPLE-500.png)
Activities to Do Now
Presidential Playlist
ALA President Julius C. Jefferson, Jr. assembled a Spotify playlist just for #ALAAC21. When you need to take a conference break, step away from your screen and slip in those headphones and give a listen. These tunes will lift you up and re-energize you for your next session.
D.I.Y. Conference Badge
It doesn't quite feel like conference without a badge, so we created this template for you to make your own from home. Dig out the lanyards from conferences past and make a badge for everyone in your household – family, pets, guests, etc.. BONUS TIP: Wear your DIY badge while watching TV after conference-ing all day and pretend you've gotten into an exclusive speaker session or hot-ticket screening!
D.I.Y. ALA Annual Conference Badge Template on Canva
D.I.Y. ALA Annual Conference Badge (PDF)
#ConferenceAtHome Ribbon
D.I.Y. Conference Ribbon - Conferencing at home doesn't mean you can't collect fun ribbons! Use our fun template to make your own ribbons. Add more to your collection each day. Bonus tip - trade with your friends! Print them and add them to your badge. Share your best ribbons throughout the conference on social media with the hashtags #alaac21 and #ConferenceAtHome.
#ConferenceAtHome Ribbon Canva Template
#ConferenceAtHome Ribbon (PDF)
D.I.Y. Origami ALA Annual 2021 Tote Bag
We miss our ALA Annual conference tote bag, so we thought we'd make our own mini version to keep near our computer. Print and clip our origami sheet here and fold along with us. Watch this YouTube video for a quick tutorial.
Template for ALA Annual Conference Origami Tote Bag - Logo with Color (PDF)
Template for ALA Annual Conference Origami Tote Bag - Logo without Color (PDF)
Stay Well. Stay Inspired Coloring & Activity Pages
Need to de-stress after a full load of sessions and meetings? We've got you covered with these coloring pages, journaling prompts, and activity pages from @alaeditions. Stay Well, Stay Inspired! Share your coloring with us on Instagram with the tags #alaac21 and #ConferenceAtHome.
Stay Well, Stay Inspired Coloring Pages (PDF)
Conference Zoom Backgrounds
What better way to feel like you’re at conference than to have Conference as your backdrop? Busy exhibit aisles, convention center hallways, the ALA Store – we have plenty of familiar settings for you to choose from. Grab your favorite from this Dropbox folder.
#ALAAC21 Door Hangers
Close the door to your home office and Conference At Home in peace. Remind folks that you're listening to a session with one of our easy door hangers.
Shhh...I'm at ALA Annual Conference Door Hanger (PDF)
Knock Please - Council Is in Session Door Hanger (PDF)
Not Now - I'm Conferencing Door Hanger (PDF)
Activities to Look Out For
Keep an eye out on social media for these opportunities to share your Conference At Home experience.
Let's Get Coffee! – Happens Daily, Saturday 6/26 – Monday 6/28
Let's take a break and catch up! Grab a cup of coffee, spot of tea, fill up your water bottle and meet us over on Insta! Post a pic of your break with the tag #alaac21 #coffeebreak and let us know which sessions you've enjoyed so far. We'll pick a couple of random coffee-breakers and send you a gift card for a cup on us!
Presidential Dance Party – Saturday 6/26
Time for a dance break! Check out our Presidential Playlist provided by ALA President Julius C. Jefferson, Jr. – queue up your favorite song for the list, stand up from your conference-ing computer and DANCE!
Heading to a social – Saturday 6/26, evening
Are you off to a social or two this evening? Post a picture in your party hat and let us know which happy hours you're looking forward to the most. Be sure to use the #alaac21 and #ConferenceAtHome tags - we'll pick out 3 favorite party hats and send some Bragging Rights your way!
#ALAAC21 Pet Parade – Sunday, 6/27, afternoon
It's time for an #ALAAC21 PET PARADE! Are you enjoying #alaac21 with your furry friends? Post a picture of your conference pets with the hashtags #alaac21 and #ConferenceAtHome We'll be picking 5 of our favorite doggos and kittie-Os for Bragging Rights.
D.I.Y. #ALAAC21 Dining Guide
Are you missing @amlibraries annual conference dining guide? Are you ordering take out tonight? Give a shout out to your favorite local eateries and your go-to delivery noms with the #alaac21 and #Conference AtHome hashtags. You can also ad your favorite eats to our D.I.Y. #ALAAC21 Dining Guide google doc. We’ll share the list after Annual.
Get Those Steps In!
You know who’s really missing the convention center halls this time of year? Your pedometer. ALA Annual is a time when you can easily cover 10,000 steps by lunch time. You can get into the spirit by talking a walk around the block when you have a break from sessions. If you want to add to the authenticity of the experience you can load up a tote bag full of books and speed walk like you’re running late for the next session. Or you can take the long way around and chat with the neighbors about what YA series they are looking forward to in the fall or if they have any must-read audiobooks on their waiting list. Or just sit outside and enjoy not having to rush around a convention center. Check your steps and share on social with the tags #alaac21 and #ConferenceAtHome – we’ll send bragging rights to person with the most and the least steps.