I have been back from ALA Annual for some days. During these "post-ALA" days, I had a rest (though not very good), started to do all the orientation things in SU (which are so much), had a major dispute about what librarians should be like with some of my Chinese colleagues (which proved my words in the presentation in ALA Annual was right!). And finally, I decided to brag about my trip to Anaheim, California and my experience there. (BTW, I am in Ohio, which is so hot!)
As an ALA Annual newbie, I am extremely excited about this conference. Not only because it's so huge (there seem to be two different versions about the number of participants of this conference, either 20,000 or 16,000), not only because I will give a presentation about RDA (or, Resource Description and Access) in China, not only because there are over 2000 panels to attend, in which I can learn so many things, but the most important reason may be that the conference is so important in the American library land which I am eager to understand and join.
As a first time attendee, I made many mistakes. I mean, yes, I did some homework. For example, I even made business cards (here and here) through Vistaprint just before I went to Anaheim, and got them just before the conference through a friend. But on the other hands, I did a poor job in planning the schedule (I am really regretful for using Google Calendar, which became a mess when I arrived at California from New York; and I failed to realize that ALA Scheduler had this functionality), preparing for my presentation (if I had more time, I could have had the time to visit Disneyland Park, rather than Disney Downtown alone), not to mention the fact that, I haven't fitted in the American librarians' culture for 100% percent yet.
But as a starting point, I think it's a great experience for me. I learnt a lot, I experienced a lot. I got some friends in the conference, and talked to even more librarians. In a word, this conference is AWESOME!
I attended many panels (even though, sadly, most of them are about cataloging and RDA), got some really interesting ideas about everything. I talked with many great librarians in the conference, including those whose blog I have read in China, like David Lee King, Roy Tennant and Jason Griffey, and those I knew for the first time (like Topher, Shannon, Henry and Erenst). I am especially excited to attend a panel organized by Hacklibschool, which is extremely useful for me to start my Master degree's study. I also attended one of the parties in Tiki Bar in the third day. It was great, even though actually, I have never attended any parties in China (cannot believe that, huh?) and is an introvert (I am trying to work on that), as a result, I guess maybe I was the most aloof person in that party. But I have to say, the party rocks!
Below is a list of all the panels I attended during the conference:
June 22:
ALA 2012 Unconference
NMRT Conference 101
Opening General Session
ALCTS 101
June 23:
OCLC Dewey Update Breakfast
RDA Update Forum
Conversation Starters: Hacking Library School
MARC Formats Interest Group
June 24:
FRBR Interest Group
LC Bibliographic Framework Transition Update Forum
RDA Worldwide (I am a speaker!)
Discovery Systems: The Promise and the Reality
Cooperative Library and Information Studies Alumni Reunion
June 25:
Current Technology in Libraries: Flash Presentations
The Ultimate Debate: Cloud Computing: Floating or Free Falling?
Building a Library Lab for Emerging Technology -- No Research Programmers Required
Battledecks 2012
I know I missed so many interesting panels this year. But since I will attend ALA Annual 2013. So hope I can have a better experience in Chicago next year.
(to be continued...)
