My conference obligations are done, and I am packed to go home tomorrow morning. Here are my take-aways from #alaac16.
- Drink more water than coffee.
- Do not go back into the exhibits hall after mailing a box of materials back, because then you have to go back to the post office (or, FedEx in my case) to mail another two boxes.
- ALWAYS go to the ALSC President’s Program. Always. This year’s ode to space design was a visual and creative treat.
- Committee meetings are great networking events. I love learning from my colleagues around the country as we share ideas and things that worked – or didn’t work!
- Take the plunge, and propose a program idea. Or a poster session. I was able to present this year on Tween programs and services, and was rejuvenated and inspired by the audience’s passion for the youth at their libraries.
- Push yourself out of your comfort zone. Go to that vendor party, or explore the neighborhood.
- Attend a program OUTSIDE of your professional wheelhouse, so that you continue to grow professionally.
- Talk to everyone and anyone. Set a goal of how many new connections you can make in different states to grow your network. You never know where life will take you!
- ALWAYS go to the Caldecott/Newbery/Wilder Banquet, the Coretta Scott King Awards, and the Pura Belpre Award luncheon. Yes, it is a lot to schedule around, but the speeches and the infectious JOY in the rooms will radiate into you.
- Pay it forward. A colleague saw me leaving the post office line, with my box of books, because I had to get to a committee meeting. She calmly took it from my arms, and told me she would go mail it for me. When I tried to press money into her hand, her reply was “I know where you work. I will send you the bill. Go to your meeting!” And so I did – with the intent of doing something kind for someone else before the day was done. Conference love. It’s a real thing guys.