The Most Important #NJLA19 Blog Post - WHAT’S FOR LUNCH?!

You finished all the snack bars you brought during the first morning session and the mints by the water fountain just aren’t going to cut it… so what are you going to do for lunch? This is actually an important question… and one you should think about before you’re already hangry and ready to settle for the most expensive box of Cheez-Its in Atlantic City.

Here are some great lunch options that you can plan ahead for.

The President’s Welcome Luncheon on Thursday is a $35 seated hot lunch that honors the NJLA President-Elect Tonya Garcia. This is a luncheon that really hits everyone at the conference. If you’re looking for a sit-down on Thursday, this might be for you.  

Not ready for a full luncheon? My personal favorite lunch option is Feast on This: Show & Make. This additional pre-paid luncheon option is a $22 cold buffet on Thursday hosted by the Children’s Services Section. It’s a very casual roundtable where makers, crafters, and tech lovers bring their program ideas to you. You’ll leave with some new ideas and a full belly.

The Garden State Book Award Luncheon on Friday is another great sit-down lunch with Lisa Lucas, the Executive Director of the National Book Foundation. Eat and share the enthusiasm for books.

The last sit-down lunch option is the College & University Luncheon on Friday. Not so great with small talk starters? This lunch comes with its own agenda: explore the future of library and information science education - a topic worth well more than $35.

On Thursday and Friday there are a few brown-bag lunches (BYOL) for those looking to chat while eating.

• Thursday check out HarperCollins Digital Book Buzz and discuss (virtually) all the fall titles you’ll be clamouring to get your hands on.

• Friday you can Plan to Lead over lunch and prepare for tomorrow,

• Talk about working across different organizations with Librarians Collaborate, or

• Join a virtual session on Driving Change with Project Outcome.

• Discuss Chris Bohjalian's book The Sandcastle Girls as part of #NJLA19's One Read

If you want a worry-free lunch, aren’t sure what to bring to a brown-bag, don’t want anything formal, or aren’t interested in the hotel restaurants, there is an option for you to pre-purchase a boxed lunch along with your registration for either or both days of the full conference. You can select your meal choice as chicken or tuna on a Kaiser roll or veggie wrap. Do be aware that there are no customized options and boxed lunches cannot be purchased on-site.

If you have already registered for Conference but would like to add a lunch ticket or a boxed lunch, please email the NJLA Office.

--Kristin Crepezzi and the 2018-2019 NJLA Conference Committee