ACRL 2005 was the best library conference I've been to. (Which isn't saying much, since the only other ones I've attended were ALA 2002, SBLA 2003, and TLA 2004). Obviously, a higher proportion of the sessions were pertinent to me as an academic librarians than at ALA, which is weighted toward public librarianship. And the keynote speakers weren't chosen on the basis of being outspoken lefties. A bonus was that the weather in Minneapolis was amazingly temperate for early April. But most importantly, the food and entertainment were excellent. On Friday we got a free catered lunch while watching Leanne Hanson of NPR fame interview three mystery writers (carefully selected for racial but not gender diversity, of course). Sat. night the attendees were invited to the Minneapolis Institute for Arts, where there was quite a spread of dainties and numerous bars. Pretty good collection of Buddhist art, including a creepy tapestry of Yamantaka, a wrathful Tibetan deity of Lovecraftian hideousness. There were a fair number of attractive young librarians in attendance, but most wearing wedding bands.

More later.