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"Getting the Most Out of Your 2002 SLA Annual Conference Experience
And Living to Attend Another Year"

(The Collective Wisdom of Our Many Conference-Going Years)
[Note: Compiled in 2002 by Susan Klopper, SLA Fellow]

XTREME CONFERENCE EXPERIENCE  
By Barbara Semonche, SLA Fellow

·         Pack a small survival kit: band aids, mouthwash, aspirin or IB, water bottle, hard candy (note: chocolate tends to melt!), damp cloth wipes, glue, a flashlight, cell phone (set to vibrate only!), a whistle, stapler or paper clips, tape. Scissors would be useful, but you can't carry them on planes now

·         Wear comfortable shoes. Easy clothes. Prepare for chilly and overheated rooms

·         Memorize your SLA pin number. Visit the SLA conference desk

·         Find a secure place to put your plane tickets.  Don't walk around with them

·         Have 2 or 3 copies of your one‑page resume with you at all times

·         Keep your hand "luggage" small, light, and functional.  You'll be overloaded if you are carrying around all day such stuff as a backpack, oversized handbag, bulging briefcase, heavy laptop (Note: all laptops are heavy by the end of the day;  consider if you really need one).  Be sensible.  Travel as lightly as possible

·         Don't overload your conference bag.  Try to "offload" this material each evening.  Consider a rolling cart, but beware that they are not always welcome in crowded sessions and are difficult to maneuver on steps and escalators

·         Consider packing a empty folding zippered carryall in which to load all the material you will collect at the conference.  OR

·         Consider shipping the paper material you collected at the conference to your office before you depart. OR

·         Consider leaving your business card with vendors requesting them to send materials to you at your office or library

·         Wear jackets/dresses/slacks with pockets: one to hold business cards (yours and the ones you will collect), the other to hold note pads, pens, highlighters, and an envelope for receipts

·         Find a "handout buddy;" halve the load of handouts from sessions; get together later to swap or copy

·         Wear your nametag on the right shoulder.  Pin or clip it on.  The lanyards hang too low for anyone to really see.  However, don't fail to remove your nametags after you leave the conference center or you run the risk of being approached by strangers (non‑SLA folks) who will spot your name and start unwanted, uneasy conversations

·         Get acquainted with all the SLA colored ribbons attached to members' nametags.  You'll be wearing them someday

 

  CONFERENCE ATTENDENCE ETIQUETTE  
  Judy Field, SLA Fellow

There are a wide range of meetings and sessions scheduled during the Annual Conference. 

·         Open sessions ‑ Programs that are sponsored by one or collaboratively by a number of divisions and caucuses that anyone can attend

·         Ticketed events – Programs or meetings that require a pre‑paid ticket in order to attend.  Tickets for many of these events can be purchased at the SLA Conference Registration booth; don’t' forget to check the Ticket Bulletin Boards where attendees will post tickets they are looking to sell.

·         Pre‑Conference Workshops – Ticketed ½ or full day workshops; tickets for many of these can be purchased on site

·         Division Business Meetings – all the SLA Division's conduct an annual business meeting at the conference.  Most are either breakfast or lunch meetings and are also ticketed events.  In most cases, you do not need to be a member of that division to attend.

·         Committee Meetings – most of these meetings are for SLA Association‑level committees and many are "open" so that anyone can attend.  Sitting in on these meetings is a great way to learn about a particular committee and the working parts of the association, meeting SLA leadership and staff.

·         Field Trips – usually relegated to the Thursday after the conference, these can range from education trips to other libraries or historical sites to a purely pleasurable day at a local spa.  Most of these events are ticketed.

·         Open Houses – sometimes called Hospitality Suites or Division Suites, these are informal gatherings sponsored by Divisions; some take place in the Division hotel suite while others utilize hotel public function rooms.  Non division members are encouraged to attend as a way to learn more about the division structure and meet involved members.

·         Board Meetings – the majority of the Association Board meetings are open to the public.  Affectionately referred to as "board watching," these provide the optimum change to learn who your Association leaders and staff are and their viewpoints on important issues. Issues that are on the floor for discussion are also open for non‑board members to comment on, as well.  Make your voice known!

Etiquette Tips & Tricks

·         Block out a daily schedule of all the events you want to attend.  You only have 15 minutes to get from one session to another and you don't want to waste time deciding where to go next.

·         Most Convention Centers are huge and the sessions you want to attend are always in complete opposite sides of the building.  Study the map of the center and plan where you want to be and when!

·         Session rooms fill up quickly.  Try and be on time, and be early for 'hot topics" to ensure getting a good seat

·         If the program does not meet your needs, you do not have to stay.  Just try to leave quietly and by selecting the most direct route out of the room.

·         If you know that you will have to leave before the session is over, try and locate a seat near the back or on an aisle seat nearest the exit.

·         Some programs are noted as "by invitation only" or "for division members only."  In some instances, these comments are not valid.  Do your homework before the session to verify if access really is restricted.  If so, please honor the attendance restriction

·         If you do not receive an invitation to a vendor party – do not assume that you can not attend.  Go by the vendor booth in the Exhibit Hall and ask. In most cases, the vendor will be delighted to give you an invitation

 

NETWORKING: MAKING PROFESSIONAL CONTACTS & LIFELONG FRIENDS
Judy Field and Sylvia Piggott, SLA Fellows

    One of the most important reasons for attending the SLA Annual Conference is to meet your colleagues; many will be experts you can call in the future when you need information, mentors who will help you in times of stress or change, and a special few will become lifelong friends.  There are plenty of opportunities, both formal and informal, for networking throughout the conference: Open houses, networking breakfasts, division business lunches, roaming the exhibit halls, fields trips, or just hanging out in the hotel lobby. 

·         Come to the conference with some ideas about specific people or interest groups that you want to meet.  This will help you to target the right people and maximize the time you have for networking.

·         When you are about to walk into an Open House, reception, or vendor party, prepare yourself by having one or two key things that you can say about who you are and what kind of work you do; this is a natural ice breaker for getting the conversation underway. Don't be shy about asking the person you are meeting about themselves

·         Remember to bring plenty of business cards with you, and don't go anywhere during the conference week without them.  They are the easiest way to exchange information.  Don't be shy about asking for someone's card and don't forget to share one of yours in exchange. You will be amazed at how many cards you will collect by the end of the conference.  One trick is to write comments on the back in order to improve your recall once you are back home.

·         Focus on attending the Open Houses sponsored by the Division that matches your interest.  This is a natural way to meet others with common interests – and don't forget those business cards, even for the "after" conference events!  And don't forget that you do not have to be a member of a Division to attend its open house.

·         In general, assume that anyone wearing a ribbon is approachable.  These are usually your association leadership. In fact, asking about the significance of a ribbon or admiring the many ribbons someone is wearing (we are seriously into our ribbons at SLA!) is one of the common "tricks" for meeting people.

·         You will find yourself standing on lots of lines during the conference week, whether it is for coffee, a reception food line, or waiting to get a vendor's attention for a product demo.  These are great opportunities to share something of interest with the person standing near you.  Sore feet, hunger pains (also known as gluttony), and vendor collectibles are all HOT topics at SLA.

·         Another great way to expand your network is to volunteer.  Division chairs and program planners always need help and will jump at the opportunity to get you more involved.  These people are easy to identify: they will be wearing a ribbon that says Division Cabinet.  And don't assume that because the conference is already underway, no assistance is needed.  Quite the contrary!  The most unexpected things are always going wrong – and a helping hand is never as appreciated as at the ninth hour.  Here are some ideas for volunteering:

·         Moderate a panel

·         Bartend at an open house or division suite

·         Write up a brief summary of a division program for the bulletin

·         The bottom line: there are over 4,000 interesting people to meet at the SLA Annual Conference.  There will be many, many wonderful opportunities to make business contacts, schmooze, and begin to find lifelong friends  ‑ and future conference roommates.  Don't be discouraged if each encounter does not click.  Persevere, and have fun!

 

HOW TO RECOGNIZE OTHERS – RIBBONS RULE!
Jane Dysart, SLA Fellow

We all wear name tags but some of us also have ribbons:

·         First Timers wear ? – and do wear yours because lots of people will stop to chat with you and you'll meet many interesting folks

·         Members of Chapter and Division Cabinet wear ? – they are the Presidents, President-Elects, Chair, and Chair-Elects of SLA's Chapters and Divisions

·         Speakers wear ? –

·         Committee members wear ?

·         SLA Board of Directors wear BLUE

·         SLA President wears RED – this year your President is Hope Tillman, so be sure you introduce yourself to her at the conference!

So what's all the fuss about these ribbons – people with ribbons have some experience with SLA and can always be relied upon to give you directions, advise, or at least a fun chat.

 

 TACKLING THE EXHIBIT HALL      
Ethel Salonen, SLA Fellow

    When you first walk into the SLA June Annual Meeting Info‑Expo Hall, it is mind‑boggling.  There are so many booths and elaborate vendor stations, that it looks overwhelming at first.  The experience is actually quite enjoyable, and if done in stages, can be one of the best parts of the conference.  Part of my professional career has been working for vendors and so I have a pretty good ideas as to how to handle the vendor discussions.  Here are some Do's and Don'ts:

·         DO pace yourself.  Pick a few rows to do every day so that you can really understand what the vendors are showcasing.  Another approach is to quickly go through the Hall and identify the vendors you wish to spend more time with at a later date.

·         DO ask as many questions as you want.  The vendor representative is there to find out what your needs are and to work with you to identify ways that their products and services match your needs

·         DO attend vendor sponsored information sessions during the exhibit hours.  These sessions typically run for 20 minutes and are usually held at the vendor booth.  The sessions allow you to hear about products and services and also allow you to listen in on what your colleagues' issues and needs are.  You may even find some competitive intelligence nuggets about your organization's competitiors.  It would be wonderful to report back to your senior management something of interest.

·         DO help yourself to any of the food items or marketing collateral that is at every booth.  The vendors don't want to send it back!

·         DO bring as many business cards as you can.  SLA does offer an automated marketing system to each vendor, but many vendors would prefer to use their lead sheet.  They will attach your card to that sheet and either send you more information, or someone will phone you after the conference is over.

·         DO take advantage of the free searching time that is available to each conference attendee from many of the vendors who are exhibiting.  It is an excellent way to really test out a system in the privacy of your own office/home.

·         DON'T be reluctant to say "no thank you" or "just looking" if you really are not interested in the vendor's products and services.

·         DON'T feel you have to take every piece of marketing collateral that is present at each booth.  Most people now ask the vendor to send them an information packet or just jot down the web address where the marketing material is often posted

Most important, DO thank the vendor representatives for sponsoring the conference in so many ways.  They are there to support us and are really interested in making sure the conference experience is a positive one for everyone concerned.

 

  FINDING A DINNER BUDDY
Sylvia Piggott, SLA Fellow

·         The local, hosting Chapter will have a Hospitality booth set up, usually located near the Conference Registration section in the Convention Center. You will find lots of recommendations for places to eat and sheets to sign up to go out to dinner with a group of members. This is a great way to meet people at the conference, and ensure that you don't go hungry (actually, it is not possible to ever go hungry at an SLA event!)

·         Don't be afraid to ask people you meet if you can join them for dinner; eating is on everyone's mind and so it is a natural bridge to networking and making fast friends. Your instincts will tell you who and when to ask.  BUT, don't be discouraged if you are turned down on occasion; many SLA friends only get to see each other during the Annual Conference and they may not be free.  For many members who are making presentations or on committees, it might be a "working" conference and they might be spending their evenings in their room working away! 

·         Ask the person sitting next to you during a session

·         Ask someone wearing a First Timer's ribbon – they might not know too many other people and will be so happy to have a dinner buddy

·         Ask the person who is standing next to you at a booth in the exhibit hall. If you are both listening to the same vendor presentation, you already have something in common!

·         Open Houses provide the perfect relaxed, informal setting for taking to people.  When you strike up a good conversation and connect with someone while debriefing about the events of your day, ask them about joining you for dinner one night or attending one of the many "free" receptions offered throughout the conference week. 

So – don't get discouraged.  Dedicate yourself to finding dinner buddies with the same focus you attention you give to navigating the exhibit hall or selecting the sessions to attend, and soon you find yourself scheduling dinner with your dinner "friends" for next year's conference!

 

MAKING THE MOST OF VENDOR PARTIES – AND STAYING AWAKE THE NEXT DAY: TIPS FROM A VETERAN PARTYGOER  
Liz Bibby, SLA Fellow

Getting Lots of Invitations

• Register early so the vendors know you’re coming.
• Remind people in your organization you’re coming to SLA and ask them to give vendors your name.  The Director and whoever signs vendor licenses will get lots of invitations.  If they’re not coming, make sure they give your name instead.  If they are coming, get them to bring you along.
• Ask people you know in your Chapter or Division which parties they’re invited to.  See if they can get you invited, too.
• If you hear about something interesting, stop at the vendor’s booth and ask if you can attend.  Although some vendors host private dinner parties for small groups of special customers, many vendors open up their parties to everyone, once they know their customers have tickets.

Making the Most of your Time

• Don’t RSVP too soon – you might get a better offer!
• If you missed an RSVP date, call anyway to see if you can still get in.
• Scope out the locations for the parties – you don’t want to spend all your time in transit or waiting around for shuttle buses.  If you can plan to end up near where you’re staying, so much the better.
• Be realistic about how many events you can cover in one evening – you might not enjoy any of them if you are party hopping too much.  Leave enough time to mingle and meet some new people, perhaps bump into that dynamite speaker you couldn’t get near earlier in the day, or befriend another first time attendee.
• Many vendors serve so much food that you can skip dinner – or just get a snack later on.  This gives more time for parties AND stretches your budget.
• Make arrangements to meet up with friends at one of the parties – you can “kill two birds with one stone.”
• There are all types of parties, from quiet and elegant cocktail receptions, to noisy beer blasts, from early evening to all evening affairs.  Anyone can find something they feel comfortable with.  If you just like all parties, try to mix them up and catch a variety during the week.

Vendor Party Etiquette

• Don’t try to gate crash an ”invitation only” party at the door – if you didn’t get your ducks in a row, do everyone a favor and write this one off. (You might get away with this someday, once you’re a Board member J)
• Remember to say thank you – vendors may feel used if we eat and run – wouldn’t you?  If you loved the party, let them know if was terrific.  In any case, let them know we appreciate their efforts and support.  Without them, our conference wouldn’t be nearly so much fun!  Sometimes they plan something a bit different and it might not always work out as great as they hoped, so at least give them an “A” for effort.
• If you must criticize, keep it positive.
• Make it a win-win and talk to the vendors.  They want you to have a good time but they’re also interested in what you’re doing and what you think of their products.  If they’re happy to just socialize, that’s fine too
• Do try to honor the host’s dress code, if there is one.  If you put on a spiffy gala, would you want everyone to show up in sweats?
• Don’t RSVP for more events than you have any intention of attending.  The vendor will be disappointed in the turnout and might have actually turned someone else away in order to save your space.
• If you unavoidably can’t make something even though you said you’d attend, try to stop by the vendor’s booth and apologize for not making it.

Staying Awake the Next Day

• If you like naps, catch one before you set out for the evening!
• Wear comfortable shoes.
• Travel light – if you can’t get back to your hotel to drop off your bags before setting out for the evening, see if you can leave them with a friend until later so you don’t have to lug them around all evening.
• Try to catch one of the parties that includes dancing – dancing is a great mixer and the exercise helps counter that sitting around in meetings all day and those convention center lunches!  You’ll get tired, sleep better and feel amazingly spry next day.
• Beware the free drinks that can creep up on you if you’re not counting. L  Switch to soda or water at least an hour before bed.
• Walk back to your hotel at the end of the evening (with some friends for safety, whom you cleverly arranged to meet at the last party of the evening.)  It will help you wind down and be ready to sleep.
• Don’t even think about checking your email before you go to bed!