Confessions of a Mad Librarian

I'm about to go to my first ALA conference. And I'm a bundle of nerves. I think it would be natural to be really nervous if this was my first-ever library conference, but it'll be my fourth: I've been to 2 SLA Conferences (2002 & 2003) and last year's Internet Librarian conference sponsored by Information Today. But with ALA, I'm very nervous. I feel like I have a lot at stake.

1) There are a few really inspiring people I hope to meet, and hope not to irritate them to distraction by either a) sucking up to them like a giant Hoover, b) leaving them in terrible awe and wonderment at my shocking lack of manners and charm and interesting things to say or c) make their skin crawl just by staring at them slack-jawed and glassy-eyed.

2) I want to pinhole an editor and see if he's still interested in an article I submitted but haven't heard about in about six months.

3) I get to test-drive the professional resume and see how bad it truly is.

4) It will be my first opportunity to find out if I belong in ALA.

5) It will be an opportunity to find out if I belong in librarianship.

#4 is actually pretty important. I love SLA and I plan to be a member as long as I can afford it. I've learned so much by being involved with the local chapter, attending the conferences and networking with the people in my chapter and my division. And news librarians can party like you wouldn't believe.

But I don't think I really belong in SLA. I break out in a rash whenever someone brings up the word 'marketing', SLA's focus on best practices isn't designed to inculcate new members of the profession who may not have a set of standard practices yet and while the national will take some stands on issues that affect all sorts of libraries (such as filing amicus briefs along with other associations on challenges to certain legislation), the association doesn't have a philosophical concept of intellectual freedom that forms a core value for the membership.

SLA doesn't have my heart. At least, not yet.

Whether I can find a good niche in ALA and feel comfortable and make a contribution to the profession from there ... whether ALA membership will be a core, essential part of my professional identity is the reason why I'm going.

As for #5 ... I'm going through a bad case of 'senioritis' right now, and I can write an entire entry just on that (and I probably will, in the near future).

In the meantime, I'm going to try to calm down and enjoy myself while learning as much as I can (and putting together my first thesis draft -- my iBook, Abelard, is coming with me). I don't think I'll be able to afford wireless at the conference, but I'll be writing and storing LiveJournal entries that I'll port here if and when relevant.

Have a great weekend.