ALA is nearly here!

[knitchick1979]

I guess it's a sign I'm really in the right field that I'm totally looking forward to a professional conference. I just spent probably about four hours today poring over the millions of emails (okay maybe just hundreds) from various vendors, as well as postcards and such, and the official conference wiki, to try and figure out my schedule. I still haven't even had a chance to talk to my boss (I don't need to take Friday cuz that stuff is all in the evening but there's a couple of cataloging things on Monday I really want to attend), nor have I contacted my NMRT mentor.

BUT...I've got a tentative list of things I want to go to.



All right. Friday is all evening stuff, orientation and meet & greet stuffs.

4 to 5 pm -- NMRT Conference 101 at McCormick Place
6:30 to 7:30 pm -- NMRT Mentoring social at Sheraton Chicago
7:30 to 8:30 pm -- NMRT Meet & Greet at Hilton

There's also a MARC thing on the postcard from OCLC that I got, from 4 to 5:30 pm but I can't find it in the scheduler so I'm not sure it's still on. But I think I'm better off going to the conference 101.


Saturday, day one of major insanity

Too much good stuff happening!!

8 to 9 am -- Gregory Maguire speaking, McCormick Place
8 to 10 am -- NMRT Conference Orientation, Palmer House (but I think I'll go to the conference 101 and skip this)
10:30 am to 12 pm -- deciding between a copy cataloging interest group at the Hilton or Ex Libris sponsoring an exploration of metadata (also at the Hilton)
1:30 to 5:30 pm -- deciding between a committee on cataloging: description and access at the Swissotel, or a session on RDA at McCormick. It's likely going to be the RDA session.
5:30 to 7 pm -- Opening general session at McCormick.

Saturday between Maguire and the stuff at the Hilton and between that and the RDA session is when I'll be trolling the Exhibit Hall for free stuff and descending upon the Unshelved booth as early as possible to get me a "Today is a good day to read" shirt, a copy of the latest collection "Readers Advisory" (hot off the presses) and a Read Irresponsibly ribbon. I'm DYING to meet Bill and Gene, I feel like I know them since I follow their Twitters. :) I'm such a HUGE Unshelved fan so I'm excited. :D I'll probably leave Maguire's speech and knock people down in my race to the Unshelved booth.


Sunday, day two of insanity

7 to 9 am -- OCLC Update Breakfast (I actually registered for this, I chose the roundtable topic of cataloging, of course), at the Hilton
8 to 10 am -- Wiki, the ultimate collaboration tool, at McCormick Place (tentative)
10:30 am to 12 pm -- the toughest decision, it's either a session about paranormal fiction readers advisory or NASA materials for libraries, both at McCormick Place.
1:30 to 5:30 pm -- Three way tough choice, between global authority control, cataloging of children's materials committee, or catalog use and usability studies. REALLY tough choice.
2 to 4 pm -- Bookmobile parade, outside McCormick Place South
3:30 to 5:30 pm -- Decision between an OCLC session about metadata and MARC or NMRT all committees meeting.
4 to 5:30 pm -- Bookcart drill team championship, McCormick Place.


Monday (depending if I get the day off to attend)

8 am to 12 pm -- Committee on cataloging: description and access at the Swissotel
8 am to 10 am -- Resuscitating the catalog, keeping it relevant, at McCormick Place
10:30 am to 12 pm -- OCLC session on metadata management at the Hilton
12 to 2 pm -- RefWorks lunch and learn, Hyatt Regency
12:30 pm to 1 pm -- Top 10 things to know about RDA at the ALA Membership Pavilion
2:30 to 3:30 pm -- Grilled pizzas and piadinas at the Cooking Pavilion (yummy)


So, that's where I'm at right now. I'm really hoping my boss will let me go on Monday to the cataloging stuff, probably the committee on cataloging and the RDA thing will be my main Monday events. And maybe another troll through the exhibit hall :)


For anyone going, and wanting to meet up at any time, feel free to text me (pm me if you need my number). I'm gonna try to remember to tweet a bit during the conference, there's actually an official tag, #ala2009

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