(via Gwen Gregory, University of Illinois at Chicago, on behalf of Rachel Minkin, Michigan State University)
We anticipate over 260 ACRL members will be attending their first ALA Annual Conference in New Orleans. We’d like to help our first-time attendees make the most of their conference experience.
Experienced conference goers attending ALA Annual 2018 are invited to be a buddy for a first-time ACRL attendee by providing advice and guidance before or during the conference. It’s easy — you don’t have to have all the answers, just be willing to help a newbie out. If you’ve ever been to an ALA Annual conference before and are willing to commit some time to helping a new person navigate the conference and learn more about ACRL, that’s all it takes You may want to meet up at the ACRL 101 on Saturday, June 23, from 8:30-10:00 a.m. at the Marriott Convention Center in room Blaine-Kern A-D (a great start for newbies, and refresher for veterans), the Exhibit Opening Reception on Friday, June 22, from 5:30-7:00 p.m., or meet for coffee. You might meet up with your buddy just once, or a few times throughout the conference. The intent is primarily for helping orient the new person to the event and helping them feel comfortable (we were all new once!).
It’s easy to sign up! Just go here. Read new attendee profiles, and click “sign up” to be a buddy to that person. The deadline to sign up is Wednesday, June 20.