• My Life in Acronyms (a.k.a., MLA)

BEA, IRA, TLA, ALA, and PLA | May 1, 2012

BEA: BookExpo America is the largest annual book trade fair in the United States. Most of the significant publishers in the United States (and many from abroad) host booths and exhibitions at BEA, where they showcase their upcoming titles, sell current books, and buy or sell subsidiary rights and international rights.

IRA: The International Reading Association is an international professional organization that aims to support literacy professionals through a wide range of resources. IRA’s annual convention involves educational seminars and sessions, as well as a show floor where publishers and other literacy-focused companies can exhibit their offerings to teachers and librarians.

TLA:  The Texas State Library Association exists to support and improve the Texas library system. The TLA annual conference attracts more than 7,000 librarians and exhibitors, a leadership development program, legislative advocacy and publications.

ALA: The American Library Association is the oldest and largest library association in the world. ALA and its divisions hold several conferences throughout the year, but the two largest are the midwinter conference and annual meeting.   ALA Midwinter is usually held in January and focuses on internal business, while  ALA Annual typically takes place in June and revolves around exhibits and presentations.

PLA: The Public Library Association is one of the fastest-growing divisions of ALA, and is dedicated to the advancement of public library services. The biennial PLA conference is the largest conference devoted to public library professionals. PLA also offers educational programming and hosts meetings at ALA Annual.