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Right In Your Backyard: Connecting Through Your Local Library Association
by Michael A. LaMagna
The month before a national library association's conference, it seems all of the messages on the library-related lists focus on last-chance registration, the last hotel with available rooms, and the local attractions in the host city. Unfortunately, like many of you, I simply delete these e-mails. Even though I have a generous professional development budget (yes, I am lucky enough to have a professional development budget!), it fails to cover the cost of attending a national conference. After registration, travel, lodging, and food, my professional development budget is gone, leaving me with major out-of-pocket expenses. Fortunately, I have discovered an option that provides the same speakers, workshops, and programs, but at a fraction of the cost - my local library association and consortium.
Benefits
The conventional wisdom is that national conferences offer the best speakers, programs, workshops, and opportunity to network and grow professionally. This belief makes them a popular choice for membership; however, many librarians will never have the opportunity to attend a national conference, due to anxiety or expense. Fortunately, your local library association and consortium provide greater access to speakers, workshops, and programs, with an added benefit of community and proximity. Since my local library association and consortium serve a relatively small population, they can develop programs and workshops to meet member needs in addition to addressing larger issues and new technological trends. The programs frequently take place in a comfortable, intimate environment, conducive to building professional relationships and sharing new skills.
Shortly after accepting my first professional position, I attended a program offered by my local library consortium. The program discussed authoritative medical information on the web. It was of the same high quality as a previous national conference I had attended, but I was also able to interact with colleagues and discuss common issues at our institutions. With local programs being offered on a regular basis, I now have the opportunity to follow up on these common problems, as well as their solutions.
Opportunity
Local library associations and consortia provide new professionals with numerous ways to become involved in the profession. A colleague at my library serves on the education development committee for the local library consortium. She was developing a program for students and staff members interested in attending library school, and asked if, as a recent graduate, I would be interested in participating as a panelist. I jumped at the opportunity to meet other new librarians in the area and share my library school experience with future professionals.
The program was a success, and led to a second program where library school representatives made presentations. Through this panel discussion, I met other members of the education development committee, and I now serve as a committee member. Like most new professionals, I aspire to be active and contribute to the profession. I quickly found that my local library consortium provided the perfect outlet.
Networking
Local library associations and consortia provide a comfortable environment to get to know your colleagues and network. As a new professional, it is particularly important to interact with colleagues, especially those who share similar interests.
First-time attendees at national conferences often talk about being too intimidated to approach other librarians. Since programs offered at the local level are in a sometimes familiar and intimate setting, the anxiety you are likely to feel is often short-lived. I am not one to approach individuals and strike up a conversation, but, at local programs and workshops, I am able to connect with one or two colleagues, and, by the end of the program, meet other attendees with similar research or professional interests. This has led to different presenting and publishing opportunities and has allowed me to connect with other librarians and the profession in a way that is more difficult at a national event.
Networking at local programs is also important for students, especially if they plan to remain in the area. Students can gain access to professionals that can review resumes or offer advice leading to internship opportunities - and possibly a professional position.
As a new professional, it is important to belong to national library associations. Taking an active role in your local library association or library consortium, though, will provide greater opportunities to connect with the profession and other professionals.
Michael A. LaMagna is a reference librarian at Cabrini College. He holds a MA in History from Villanova University and MLS from St. John's University.