Inevitably, when I attend a conference, I want to LEARN ALL THE THINGS and also GET ALL THE BOOKS. This generally results in packed schedules, double booked time slots, skipped meals, and lots of running around.
It’s difficult to balance attending sessions that will give you valuable information to bring back to your library, sessions that just sound really interesting because you’re a librarian so of course you love learning, and spending time in the exhibit hall to learn about great books.
Yesterday, for example, I attended 4 conference sessions (on data visualization, YouTube in libraries, creative programming in libraries, and new ideas about youth librarianship), one author signing, and one publisher’s Book Buzz session; then, I spent my few free moments seeing what new books were available around the exhibit hall. I did not, as you may suspect, eat lunch.
Regardless of what I choose to do, I always feel like I’m missing out on SOMETHING-what if, while I’m in that super informative presentation that I know will provide me with valuable tools to apply to my job, a publisher happens to put out the one book I was most anticipating?!?!
This is the reality of conference life. I always schedule 2-3 things at the same time and choose what sounds most interesting on the day of, confident that I have a solid backup plan if my choice turns out to be lackluster. I also try to balance sessions that are heavy on tech or programming with Book Buzz events, author events, and wandering the exhibits, because ALL of those things are important for my job.
And, at the end of the day, I have to remember that even if I didn’t get to EVERYTHING that I wanted, I still has a really great experience, learned beneficial new things, networked with other amazing librarians, and will be returning to my library refreshed and full of new ideas.