San Francisco photo by Michael Bolden on Flickr.

Knight Foundation is headed to San Francisco this week to talk libraries. We believe libraries can be a platform for digital innovation and community engagement, and what better place for that conversation than the 2015 American Library Association conference being held there through Monday. Over the next several days, we will feature several of our initiatives and our grantees during a series of demonstrations, events and panels.

Above: John Palfrey discussing his book “BiblioTech” in Miami.

Here are some of the ways you can connect with us at the ALA convention:

Book signing with Knight Board of Trustees Chair John Palfrey for his new book, “BiblioTech: Why Libraries Matter More Than Ever in the Age of Google”

Following the general opening session, Knight Foundation’s booth will open by continuing the conversation on the future of libraries with a book signing from John Palfrey, a noted author, founding chair of the board of the Digital Public Library of America and head of school at Phillips Academy, Andover.  Please stop by and receive a free copy of “BiblioTech” signed by Palfrey, Friday, June 26, from 5:30-6 p.m. | Moscone Center, South Hall, Booth No. 3731

Knight Foundation reception at Code for America

Join Knight Foundation and Code for America for cocktails to celebrate libraries and the people inspiring and helping them to innovate in the digital age.

Meet the winners of Knight News Challenge: Libraries, announced in January 2015, who have been leveraging libraries as a platform for more knowledgeable communities.

Friday, June 26, from 6-9:30 p.m. | Code For America, 155 Ninth St., San Francisco

RSVP at http://kng.ht/alaknight15

Knight Foundation exhibitor booth

Throughout the weekend, winners of Knight News Challenge: Libraries and other partners will discuss their projects at demo stations in the Knight Foundation booth, No. 3731, located in the South Hall of Moscone Center.

Knight Foundation staff will also be present for open office hours to discuss our work. Please see below for our lineup: 

Saturday, June 27, from 9 a.m.-5 p.m.:

• 9-10 a.m.: Open Data to Open Knowledge, city of Boston | Curt Savoie, Gianna Gifford
• 10-11 a.m.: Space/Time Directory, New York Public Library | Ben Vershbow, Matthew Allen Knutzen
• 11 a.m.-12 p.m.: Library For All | Isabel Sheinman, Rebecca McDonald
• 12-1 p.m.: Peer 2 Peer University, Chicago Public Library | Philipp Schmidt, Grif Peterson, Mark Andersen, Michelle Frisque
• 1-2 p.m.: Culture In Transit, Metropolitan New York Library Council | Caroline Catchpole, Sarah Quick, Maggie Schreiner, Anne Karle-Zenith
• 2-3 p.m.: Jefferson Institute | Biljana Presnall
• 3-4 p.m.: Privacy Literacy, San Jose Public Library | Erin Berman and White Space 101, Digital Village Associates | Don Means
• 4-5 p.m.: Library Hotspot, New York Public Library | James English, Luke Swarthout

Sunday, June 28, from 9 a.m.-5 p.m.: 

• 9-10 a.m.: Jefferson Institute | Biljana Presnall and Make It @ Your Library | Amy Killebrew
• 10-11 a.m.: Internet Archive | Alexis Rossi, Tracey Jaquith, John Gonzalez, David Merkoski
• 11 a.m.-12 p.m.: Measure the Future, Evenly Distributed | Jason Griffey, Jenica Rogers
• 12-1 p.m.: Journalism Digital News Archive, University of Missouri | Edward McCain
• 1-2 p.m.: The Library Freedom Project | Alison Macrina, Kade Crockford
• 2-3 p.m.: Digital Public Library of America | Dan Cohen, Amy Rudersdorf, Emily Gore
• 3-4 p.m.: Submittable | Michael Fitzgerald
• 4-5 p.m.: This Place Matters, Marshall University | David Trowbridge, Monica Brooks

Monday, June 29, from 9 a.m.-2 p.m.: 

• 9-10 a.m.: Submittable | Michael Fitzgerald
• 10-11 a.m.: Digital Public Library of America | Dan Cohen, Amy Rudersdorf, Emily Gore
• 11 a.m.-12 p.m.: The Community Resource Lab | Meaghan O’Connor, Jean Badalamenti
• 12-1 p.m.: Internet Archive | Alexis Rossi, Tracey Jaquith, John Gonzalez, David Merkoski

Knight Foundation has also curated a series of panels. See below for details:

• With an introduction by John Bracken, Knight’s VP for media innovation, Carol Coletta, Knight’s VP for community and national initiatives, will be joined by John Palfrey; Dale Dougherty, founder and executive chairman, Maker Media; Meaghan O’Connor, assistant director, programs and partnerships, District of Columbia Public Library; and Jennifer Pahlka, founder and executive director, Code for America, for a panel discussion on “Building the New Nostalgia: Marking the Case for Why Libraries Matter” at the San Francisco Marriott Marquis, Yerba Buena Salon 9, 780 Mission St., on Friday, June 26, from 2-3 p.m. *Note the room change, now in Salon 9. 
• Chicago Public Library Chief of Technology Content and Innovation Michelle Frisque will join New York Public Library’s James English, product owner, reading experience, and Luke Swarthout, director of adult education services, to speak at “A Tale of Two Cities: NYPL and CPL Wi-Fi Lending Projects” panel at Moscone Center, Room: 2008 (W) on Saturday, June 27, from 10:30-11:30 a.m.
• Knight Foundation Director of Media Innovation Chris Barr will moderate a panel on “Crowdfunding for Libraries: How to Use Kickstarter to Build Your Community” along with Margot Atwell, publishing outreach lead at Kickstarter, and Jason Griffey, founder/consultant of Evenly Distributed, at Moscone Center, Room: 120 (N) on Saturday, June 27, from 3-4 p.m.
• Dr. P. Toby Graham, university librarian and associate provost, University of Georgia Libraries; Alexis Rossi, director of Web services, Internet Archive; Anne Wootton, co-founder and CEO, Pop Up Archive; and Dan Cohen, executive director, Digital Public Library of America, will speak on a panel about “Digital Archiving for Humans” at the Moscone Center, Room: 2009 (W), on Monday, June 29, from 10:30-11:30 a.m.

If you have any questions about any of the events above or want to learn more about what we’re up to, follow @knightfdn on Twitter and check out Knight Blog for reports from the panels and events.

Nina Zenni is a media innovation associate for Knight Foundation. Email her at [email protected].