Sharjah Reflections

Stories are powerful.  I am a librarian so that is not so unexpected from me.  What is powerful about THIS story is the way a book, a conference, two librarians, two authors and 6,000+ miles intersected to bring me to today.  Today, I tune into one of my favorite podcasts, Lifelines: Books that Bridge the Divide, hosted by Ann Braden and Saadia Faruqi to hear MY story.  My story is intertwined with Todd Burleson's as we adventured to and through the United Arab Emirates.  I am humbled to be a guest and to have the opportunity to share pieces of a growth journey and my reflections on learning from other cultures. 


The first pic of my trip. The book that connects these stories.

The painting we discovered on Day 1 of our journey that began a conversation with Saadia Faruqi.

I had the honor and privilege to present with Todd Burleson at the ALA Conference in conjunction with the Sharjah International Book Fair (United Arab Emirates) in November of 2018 (#SIBFALA18).  What began as an opportunity to present at a conference led to new friendships, great learning opportunities, and the inspiration for a cultural heritage project back home, inspired by Todd Burleson, Ali Schlipp and Lego Travel Buddy.   I never did write the blog post I intended to write about this amazing experience, but this was too powerful a trip to let it quietly disappear.  My biggest takeaways follow. 

My takeaways


  • My new UAE colleagues and I share many of the same issues & concerns even though 6,000+ miles separate us.  We continue to learn from one another, thanks to Twitter (#UAELibrarians).  My world just got a lot smaller (and bigger at the same time).  
  • Presentations offer great growth opportunities, but presenting with a colleague magnifies the learning.  Presenting with generous Todd Burleson is a pleasure and a gift that I am eternally grateful for.
  • Traveling and exploring is invigorating, but traveling to the other side of the world is fascinating and eye-opening.   We are truly more alike than different.
  • I validated my quest to bring the world to our library so my students can see themselves and each other reflected on our shelves.





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