Attention fiber artists!

(I was going to title this "Attention Knitters", but I spent last evening crocheting afghan squares and I don't want to disenfranchise the crocheters, weavers, or whatever-else-you-do-with-string-ers among us!)

If you play with string and sticks to make fabric-like objects, please join us in the Knitter's Lounge during the conference. In addition to a nice place to stop and catch up with colleagues, we will also be doing a stash swap and a raffle. We are giving away a felted slippers knitting kit (pattern, yarn, and needles, and I've knit the pattern about a dozen times so I can testify to its fantastic-ness), and if you'd like, bring your surplus yarn for a stash swap -- offer up whatever yarn you can't seem to find a great pattern for, and trade it for something new-to-you. I know I'll be bringing a bag of miscellaneous skeins and balls to offer to anyone who wants to give them a good home!

This is a reprise of last year's super-successful knitting lounge at SUNY Maritime, and I hope that it proves just as much fun. I'm sorry to say there will be no wireless in our lounge, which means that we'll lose the cheerful and charming company of one Bill Drew, who, laptop in hand, braved a room full of swishing needles and hooks and chatter about swatching and Entrelac in order to surf the web in comfort last year.

The Knitter's Lounge will be in the Draime Lounge on the first floor of the dorm, in a nice bright room with big windows and comfy chairs.

Shake, shake, shake...

I just got to play with the conference gift from the Local Arrangements Squad (I've decided that 'Squad' makes us sound like superheroes, where 'Committee' makes us sound like managers, and who do you want planning your conference fun, a superhero or a manager?) -- and they are supremely entertaining! You want one! The only way to get one is to register! Soooooo, go forth and register for the conference!

See you in June...

Diverting!

I know that the conference planning committees are hard at work on our programming (submit a proposal over here), and we're also having a great time planning diversions that show off the wonderful character and beauty of Saint Lawrence County. Full descriptions will be in the program, but as a sneak peek, I'll let you all know that I'm leading an easy hike through Stone Valley a few miles down the road in Colton. It's a gorgeous spot in early June, with a gently rolling path to hike along some really cool rock formations in the Raquette River. Join us!

The snow WILL melt, we promise

It's still pretty cold and wintry here in Potsdam, but the staff and friends of the College Libraries are already hard at work on planning summer fun at SUNYLA (including warning campus friends that "a lot of librarians are going to be here in June..."). We're thrilled to be hosting the 40th annual SUNYLA conference in 2008, and we'll be sharing our plans here on this blog -- watch for regular updates from now until the conference starts. Feel free to comment, ask questions, or contact any of us at any time.

We're looking forward to seeing you at the conference!