{"id":243,"date":"2013-06-24T11:54:18","date_gmt":"2013-06-24T16:54:18","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.nmrt.ala.org\/notes\/?p=243"},"modified":"2013-06-24T11:55:43","modified_gmt":"2013-06-24T16:55:43","slug":"ala-annual-2013-helpful-info-for-new-members-first-timers-and-everyone-else","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.nmrt.ala.org\/notes\/ala-annual-2013-helpful-info-for-new-members-first-timers-and-everyone-else\/","title":{"rendered":"ALA Annual 2013: Helpful Info for new members & first timers (and everyone else)"},"content":{"rendered":"

This is my 14th ALA Conference in a row (counting Midwinter). Here are my tips for getting the most out of the Conference.<\/p>\n

Need help during the conference? Call me<\/strong>. 509-592-5480. I’ll do whatever I can to help.<\/p>\n

Advice on Scheduling<\/strong>:<\/p>\n

    \n
  1. Attend NMRT Conference 101<\/strong> or Conference Orientation. I attend both at every conference, and I learn something every time.
    \nNew Members Round Table Sessions<\/strong>:<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

    Fri, June 28 01:00 pm – 02:30 pm Conference 101 (NMRT)MCP-S104a
    \nFri, June 28 07:30 pm – 08:30 pm Mentoring Social (NMRT)PALM-Buckingham Room<\/p>\n

    Sat, June 29 08:30 am – 10:00 am Conference Orientation(NMRT) MCP-N228
    \nSat, June 29 10:30 am- 11:30 am Executive Board (NMRT) HRM-Regency Ballroom A<\/p>\n

    Sun, June 30 08:30 am- 10:00 am Building Your Professional Toolkit (NMRT) MCP-S103a
    \nSun, June 30 10:30 am – 11:30 am New Leaders DiscussionGroup (LLAMA\/NMRT) MCP-N140
    \nSun, June 30 01:00 pm- 02:30 pm Association Options Fair (NMRT) MCP-Hall A, Meeting Room D
    \nSun, June 30 06:30 pm- 07:30 pm Student Reception (NMRT) PALM-Wilson Room
    \nSun, June 30 07:30 pm- 08:30 pm Awards Reception (NMRT) PALM-Chicago Room<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

      \n
    1. Feel free to leave a session if it’s not what you wanted. Feel free to walk into a session late. Feel free to ditch your schedule<\/strong> and go to whatever session you feel like.<\/li>\n
    2. What happens in the hallways is just as important as what happens in the sessions. Follow the conference where it takes you.<\/strong><\/li>\n
    3. Almost every single meeting is open<\/strong> to everyone (those that aren’t are marked in the scheduler with ” [Closed]”). Shock your way to the top by showing up to a Committee or Board meeting.<\/li>\n
    4. To find out about a lot of the options within ALA, attend the Association Options Fair<\/strong>, Sun, June 30 01:00 pm- 02:30 pm, MCP-Hall A, Meeting Room D<\/li>\n
    5. Attend an ALA Membership meeting<\/strong>. These are notoriously under-attended,and therefore a great chance for you to interact directly with members of Council to let them know about issues of concern to you:
      \nSaturday, June 29, 3:00pm – 4:30pm, ALA Council\/Executive Board\/Membership Information Session, MCP-S100c<\/li>\n
    6. Attend an ALA Council meeting<\/strong>. You will learn SO MUCH about the Association and what kinds of things ALA is working on, plus you’ll meet Council members, who are often cool and\/or good network connections:
      \nSunday, June 30 – 8:30am-11:00am, ALA Council I,MCP-S100c
      \nMonday, July 1 – 8:30am-11:30am, ALA Council II, MCP-S100c
      \nTuesday, July 2 – 7:30am – 9:15am, ALA Council III,MCP-S100c<\/li>\n
    7. Do some fun things<\/strong> – like the NMRT Receptions on Sunday night, or one of the #partyhard events. There’s a list of Socials here: https:\/\/docs.google.com\/spreadsheet\/ccc?key=0Avyr7GmiNIFmdFpCVGVUeUtSYVlPQ2huUmRQRmZGU0E#gid=0<\/li>\n
    8. Give yourself breaks<\/strong>. Sleep. Rest. Eat.You’ll be better able to appreciate the conference if you take care of yourself.<\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

      Do I have more great advice? You bet! I’ll be the one at the Orientations getting tackled by the bouncers when I try to interrupt with my two cents. Here’s my schedule: http:\/\/ala13.ala.org\/user\/31871.<\/a><\/p>\n

      For a different perspective check out PC Sweeney’s “The big list of things everyone should do at #ala2013,” http:\/\/pcsweeney.com\/2013\/06\/18\/the-big-list-of-things-everyone-should-do-at-ala2013\/
      \n<\/a><\/p>\n

      And now some other helpful resources, with thanks to the ALA Ambassadors program and Paul Signorelli.<\/p>\n

      Physical Locations<\/strong><\/p>\n