Support Andrea's Journey to ALA Conference 2025

Hello, internet! My name is Andrea and I am currently finishing my first year as a public high school librarian in North Las Vegas! I have been an English teacher with my school district for 10 years and decided after my first MA in English that my true passion was librarianship. So, in 2021, I started my journey towards my MLIS so I could transition roles. I attended The University of Alabama. Roll tide! I graduated on Star Wars Day 2024, but got hired for my current job in April 2024.

One of the first experiences I had was at an American Library Association (ALA) conference when they came to Las Vegas in 2014. Back then, I had just gotten my first teaching job and I was an aspiring book blogger. I was in it for the free books and author signings - I met ANN M. MARTIN, the writer of The Babysitter’s Club books! - but I also got a glimpse into what it means to be a librarian. I knew then it was my calling.

Of course, going into this first year as a librarian at a brand new school awakened my impostor syndrome. I was at my previous school for 8 years. But, as I have been doing what I know how (helping others, thinking of creative solutions, and my favorite: using my relationships with students to trick them into reading) I realized that this truly is where I’m supposed to be.

Because of recent executive orders and a lack of funding, my school is unable to finance a trip for me to attend an American Library Association conference this year. This would have been my first year attending as a REAL librarian! I’m devastated, but I also understand why limited funding needs to be funneled to more direct betterment of our students. Working at a Title 1 school is already difficult, let alone adding in budgeting deficits.

I have LOVED being a librarian and I would LOVE to attend this year’s conference after being in the field for a year. With sessions like how to incorporate tabletop gaming into learning and how to make the library more inclusive for special needs and dyslexic students, this conference will add so much to my own knowledge of what I have access to and a community that can help! Not to mention, their vendor hall may be useful in helping a baby librarian like me find some new, affordable options for expensive library items like furniture.

So, if you’ve made it this far, please consider (if you can) supporting my trip to the 2025 ALA Annual Conference in Philadelphia, PA this summer! It would mean a lot to me, my students, my school, and our surrounding North Las Vegas community. Thank you for your time!