Although I have been employed at law libraries for over five years now, this was my first time attending the AALL Conference. In August 2006, I changed jobs from a county/court law library to an academic law library. This switch motivated me to take the conference more seriously. At the county law library, it was very difficult to find the time or money to attend conferences or other events. The larger academic library environment has made attendance not only easier, but expected.
In March 2007, I had the good fortune to be selected to participate in my first AALL event: the Management and Leadership Institute in Tucson. I thought at the time that if this is what AALL events would be like, I would enjoy them immensely. The Conference wasn’t quite the same event, however.
It seems that the Annual Conference is the World Series of AALL events. I was impressed with the preparation and communication AALL provides to Conference-goers. The Conference wasn’t as large as I thought it would be. Maybe folks hesitated to visit New Orleans in July, or just couldn’t attend this year, or maybe the size of the facilities made the attendance seem small, but I expected more people to be there.
The University of Minnesota Law Library sent eight librarians to the Conference and I caught up with them throughout the days, comparing notes and exchanging impressions. I also re-united with my former colleagues at my past library. They held a chapter reunion and let me in on the “best practice” secrets of attending the Conference. It was also good to see so many of the Tucson Institute participants at the Conference.
New Orleans is a hard city to visit for a vegetarian. It was difficult and distracting to have to “hunt” for a well-balanced, healthy meal. Luckily, most of the catered events, such as the ALL-SIS banquet, included healthier alternatives. I wasn’t alone in this situation and shared camaraderie among others similarly looking for an alternative meal.
As this was my first Conference, I have no knowledge or experience of when AALL had a longer Conference. However, I did find it frustrating to have to choose between two programs in two different buildings scheduled at the same time, then turn around and find no programs of interest in the very next time slot.
I would have appreciated more programs designed for newer law librarians and found the NALLM Program a welcome change. I liked being able to ask questions relevant to the challenges of newer law librarians and hearing answers by some of the “veterans.” However, after reviewing the program proposal handbook for the 2008 Conference, I found the reason why there were so few programs for rookies: “Registrants at the Annual Meeting are highly experienced. Although basic programs are useful, members prefer more advanced, in-depth programs.” and “Consider proposing advanced level programming: almost three quarters of the membership have been in the profession more than ten years.” (pp. 4, 7, 16)
In addition to the NALLM event, I enjoyed the programs that were more “introductory” and didn’t assume the audience had previous knowledge of the topic. Specifically, I gained inspiration and ideas from “Developing a Scholarly Agenda,” presented by Kathryn Venturatos Lorio and coordinated by Barbara Bintliff. They both gave me ideas for getting my research agenda refreshed in a more organized way.
Along that same vein, my first AALL Publications Committee meeting let me see how I can use some of my favorite interests and skills in a new way of benefiting AALL. I look forward to using the ideas and skills I learned to become more involved with my chapter and SIS’s.
Overall, I enjoyed the AALL Conference primarily for the connections I made anew and rediscovered along the way. While the programs were mostly useful, the information and “insider” tips I gained by current and past colleagues and friends will be as valuable.
Despite the unpredictable weather of New Orleans in July (I’ll remember to pack my umbrella next time!) and lack of healthy food choices (thank you to the vendor in the exhibitor area who put out fruit instead of candy!), I think the Conference will be something I look forward to each year as my career progresses. I look forward to coaching other rookies in the future.