What a great topic! Conferences can seem intimidating and it can be hard to know where to start- especially if you are by yourself, or only a few of you are coming from your library.
When pre-planning what sessions to go to be realistic! It can be hard to attend two sessions concurrently (are they far apart location-wise? Is one session on a popular topic that perhaps will have a large crowd? ) and attending two at a time is not possible! Also do not be afraid to (discreetly) leave a session if it's not what you expected or of it doesn't apply to your situation. It's ok!
If you work for a public library, ask if your Friends group provides funding for conference attendance. Oftentimes they can cover your conference registration fee, per diem or travel.
Maybe if you plan on arriving a little early, you can go over to the conference center and scope out the area- where are your favorite sessions taking place? Also, remember that NMRT provides a conference orientation session where we talk about conference sessions, but also the city where the conference takes place and social opportunities.
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Morgan Brickey-Jones
Director of Community Engagement
University of Texas At Arlington
She/Her/Hers
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