Revgal Friday5- Conferences

1.Describe a memorable conference, retreat, workshop or convention you've attended.
I attend the American Library Association conference each year. We descend on a city in our glasses, comfortable shoes and totebags each summer! This year, its in New Orleans! We go there every five years or so and its been scheduled for years. I understand that after Hurrican Katrina, the ALA representatives really wanted to keep it there and have added a volunteer component!

2. Favorite Speaker
No one famous I'm afraid. I tend to avoid the keynote speakers as they tend to be politicians, not librarians, and I don't really need to hear how important they think libraries are or about the first library they used. I have seen some great authors and librarians though.

3. Do you attend all of the scheduled events, or play hooky? If the latter, what do you do with your free time?
ALA is usually on my own dime, so I do not feel obligated to attend everything. But I am really interested, so I go to a lot of things. For the past few years, committee meetings have taken up a lot of my conference time. I always try to do "one fun thing" in each city. Sometimes they can overlap too. One of the big Library Automation software vendors always has their "Thank You" party at a museum after hours, so we can see the exhibits.

4. Do you like having a roommate or would you rather have a room to yourself?
I always have a roomate since I'm paying, but recently I've been rooming with a colleague from an old job in another state. When I was going to move she lamented that "We'd be only Christmas Card pals now." But instead we're ALA roomies!

5. What's the most exotic location you've conferenced or retreated?
It was in Toronto one year and that was the first time I'd ever been in another country, and it was in San Fransico too. But I really love to go when its in Chicago!

Feel free to play along!