Dear Friends,

Preparations for the APLA 2018 Conference are heating up!  Registration opened last week and new information is being added daily to the conference website.  We are grateful to the members of our Organizing Committee for the enthusiasm, energy and creativity they are bringing to the work of ensuring a truly wonderful conference experience.  Take advantage of our Early Bird Rates by registering now!  And remember that APLA turns 100 this year, an exciting milestone that we will be celebrating throughout the conference!

In other news, we are pleased to announce that we are introducing a Common Read for APLA 2018, a first in the history of APLA conferences! The Inconvenient Indian: A Curious Account of Native People in North America by Thomas King was recommended for this purpose by our Conference Elder, Imelda Perley.  (Please see the conference website for more information on the book.)  The idea is to prepare conference-goers for the experience that awaits them in Fredericton, as we bring to the fore Indigenous knowledge and culture, through both special sessions and social events.  Our aim is to further the reflection that began in Charlottetown last year about libraries’ response to the Truth and Reconciliation Committee’s Calls to Action.  A Common Read session is being planned to allow conference-goers to discuss the book in a relaxed and open environment.  The session will be led by Patricia Knockwood (New Brunswick Public Libraries) and Marc Bragdon (University of New Brunswick).  We encourage you to read the book and join us on this journey of discovery!

Stay tuned for more information on APLA 2018 coming through various channels from our Public Relations Committee.  We look forward to welcoming you to Fredericton in June!

Your conference co-chairs,

Ella & Jocelyne