Hi folks.

As part of the 2008 Emerging Leaders program, I and three other librarians have been tasked to redesign and develop the curriculum for the upcoming ACRL 101 session.

What is ACRL 101? ACRL 101 is a session held at the ALA annual conference. The intent of ACRL 101 (and other ALA 101s) is to help new and potential members as well as first-time attendees make the most of their time at the Annual Conference and discover how to use ACRL as a professional development resource. A 101 session typically includes an overview of the ACRL structure, tips on making the most of the conference/how to navigate the exhibit hall, and breakout time to speak to representatives from the 17 sections of ACRL.

If you have attended an ACRL 101 event in the past what are some elements that you would like to keep and some elements you would recommend dumping? Comments I have received so far include better timekeeping, more time spent on the breakout discussion, and more information on regional involvement. I have received feedback that components addressing how to get involved with limited amounts of spare time are important and should be kept.

If you haven't attended an ACRL 101 and/or an Annual conference, what are some things you might imagine you'd like to learn. Keep in mind there's some 20-thousand or so library-types milling about at these events. They can be pretty scary and extremely exciting. Even if you're not personally interested in ACRL, try to imagine the sorts of things you might want to know about organization that's new to you...

I appreciate any feedback or suggestion you might have. Feel free to discuss here or to contact me privately, off-board at aflanary at gmail dot com.

Thanks!