2014, what a year it was

More things happened in 2014 than any year in my personal and professional recent history.

I assumed the presidency of the Alabama Library Association.

I finished my Ph.D., the culmination of nine and a half years of effort, testing everything about myself.

We moved into our fabulous new library after a year and a half in limbo, and even longer thinking about it. I can't express the difference it has made to the school community.

I served on the 2015 Odyssey audiobook award committee, my first national award committee, for ages 0-18, and was appointed to the 2016 Batchelder award committee for books in translation.

I hosted 500 of my colleagues for the Alabama Library Association annual conference.

I coordinated two USBBY programs for ALA Midwinter and Annual (and, since I was reappointed, will have four more opportunities to put together those over the next couple of years…)

I traveled abroad (to London, Dublin, Mexico City, and Vienna) and domestically (Philadelphia, D.C. -- three times, Las Vegas, Amherst, Key West, and Minneapolis). I don't have any frequent flyer miles left, but it was worth it.

I started coaching some terrific kids for Scholar’s Bowl.

I don't know what 2015 holds, but this year was downright amazing.