Registration for ALA 2026 Annual Conference & Exhibition will be opening soon! This massive conference is a fantastic opportunity to learn new skills, spark fresh ideas, and connect with fellow library folks so now is the perfect time to start thinking about how you want to approach your conference experience.
Let's use this thread to share planning strategies, tips, and lessons learned from past conferences. I'll start us off:
There are tons of sessions included with your registration, but many popular tours and events require an additional ticket. Be sure to pay close attention to scheduling so you don't accidentally double-book yourself. Speaking from experience! My first year, I bought tickets for a very cool ghost tour and the Carnegie Medals for Excellence in Fiction and Nonfiction ceremony-only to realize they were happening at the same time. Difficult choices were made.😅 Learn from my mistakes!
To help kick off the discussion, feel free to share:
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How do you decide which sessions or events are "must-attend" versus "nice-to-have"?
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Favorite networking strategies (or ways to make it feel less awkward)?
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For first-time attendees: What questions do you have about planning or navigating ALA that others might be able to answer?
Looking forward to learning from everyone's experiences!
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Emily McQuade
Public Services Librarian
Winter Park Library
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