MLA/DLA 2023 Conference "Leveled Up" to Success

 

Over 600 staff members from Maryland and Delaware libraries gathered in Cambridge for the 2023 MLA/DLA Annual Conference.  Conference director Kelsey Hughes and co-director Anita Crawford, and the entire conference committee, brought together exciting guest speakers, authors, and an interesting group of vendors.  With over 60 breakout sessions, 3 Ignite sessions, MLA and DLA member meetings, a tech playground, a meetup with the new BCMLA, and a return visit from Pets on Wheels of Delmarva, attendees had plenty of opportunities for learning and networking.

There were also lots of fun activities, including s'mores by the campfire, karaoke, the silent auction, the Harriet Tubman Visitor Center Tour, and morning yoga on the lawn. The now infamous pub quiz was well attended, and the EPFL team of Julie Johnson, Heather Yost, Kinshasa Vargas-Pile, guest Heather Riley, and yours truly, held our own against much larger teams, even winning a round and coming in second in several others. 🏆 

Thanks to all staff who participated as committee members, program presenters, or attendees.

Lisa R. Kenyon

Staff Development and Training

MLA/DLA Conference 2021 registration now open

Registration is now open for the 2021 combined Maryland and Delaware annual conference. The conference will be held the first week in May, and will be virtual again this year.

If you wish to receive funding to attend the conference you must complete the "Request for Authorization for Leave and/or Expenses" (Form 354), and submit that to your supervisor along with your goals and intentions statement and a copy of your completed registration form.  The forms may be sent by email to the required supervisors.

Your goals and intentions statement must include at least 6 sessions that you will attend at the conference, along with a strong rationale for each.  What do you hope to learn at/bring back from each session and what do you hope to do with the knowledge you gain?   You may substitute other programs during the actual event, as long as you attend at least 6.

You must also include a justification for any pre-conferences you wish to attend, with the same information.  Please include your MLA membership number on the form if you are a member.

Applications must be received by March 19, 2021 to be eligible for funding.

If you have any questions, contact SD&T.

 

MLA/DLA Annual Conference 2021

May 3-7, 2021

Here is a link to the brochure:

https://www.mdlib.org/files/docs/conference/MLAProgram2021.pdf 

Here is a link to the registration form:

https://www.mdlib.org/ev_calendar_day.asp?date=5%2F3%2F21&eventid=115

Ten Tips for Comfortable Conferences

This is a great list for new attendees, or as a reminder for the seasoned conference veteran.

• Take a sweater/jacket even if the weather is warm, as the conference hall and session rooms may be glacial.  Dress in layers and wear comfortable shoes.  
• Take a refillable water bottle and keep it filled.  Top up at every opportunity.  You never know when you might get stuck in a session without water or start coughing during a keynote.  Fill it before you leave for the day to avoid having to buy $4 bottles of water at your hotel.
• Charge you devices frequently, for they will run out of power at the most inconvenient time.  One tip is to take a power strip with you, that way you don't have to fight for outlets, and you'll be a hero to other attendees.  The best option is to purchase a recharger that you can carry with you, but be sure you have all the cords you need before you leave your hotel.
• Arrive at sessions early where possible to get a good seat (or even a seat at all).  Aisle seats go fast, as do table seats that face the presenter.
• Carry baby wipes, or face cleansing wipes in case of stickiness or greasy food at lunch.
• If there is a huge vendor area, review the list and make notes of those you actually want to meet.  It makes it easier to traverse the vendor jungle and not get lost among the booths.  You also won't "miss" any really important companies.
• Take a small bag of mint/hard candy/breath strips in case of garlic at lunch (not gum).
• Check Amazon.com before buying books at the conference, unless you want to take them to author signings.  Often conference prices aren't the best price and you won't have to haul them back in your suitcase.
• Check the conference app (if there is one) for presentations and slide decks before the first day of the event.  Not only will this save photocopying, but in some cases you can get a sense of the program from the slides and decide if you really want to attend that program.
• Get in a line, it's a great way to meet people.  Lines for registration, meals, general sessions, and even the bathroom are ways to make contact with new people in a more casual way.  The movement of the line also helps keep the conversation brief and can give you a opening to the conversation.  "Have you seen the bags they are giving out this year? or "That lunch yesterday was interesting, I hope today we have better options."

Top 5 Tips for Networking at Conferences

One of the best things about conferences is meeting new people and making connections.  Here are 5 tips to help make the most of this opportunity.

- Take your business cards with you and have them handy at all times.  This is a quick way to share information with new people, and also to enter give-away events during sessions.  Many conferences are using QR codes on name badges, but physical cards are still a great way to make connections.

- If you take someone's business card, take a minute to jot a few notes on the back - who is this person, where did you meet, what did you discuss, what is your followup, or even a physical description in case you run into them later.

- If the conference has a "meet to eat" option, where you sign up to go out for meals, then sign up for these.  It's a great way to meet people in a more casual atmosphere but still with the conference connection.  Also great if you are the only one from your system at the event.

- Sit with someone new in breakout sessions and at meals, especially if you are with other staff members from your system.  Don't huddle together in a group, spread out and say hello.

- Get in a line.  Meal lines, registration, even lines for the bathroom are great places to meet people in a natural way and this has the advantage of limited time to talk so you won't get stuck in an awkward conversation.

Bonus tip -- Look up from your phone at meals and before breakout sessions.  Look around and try to meet the people sitting near you, rather than sitting with your head down and ignoring everyone. 

Some networking notes from the Association for Talent Development annual conference

I recently attended the ATD conference, and went to a relly interesting session on networking, called Networking for People Who Hate Networking.  In the workshop, they defined networking as creating meaningful and beneficial connections one person at a time.  This was interesting, as we generally think of networking as meeting a bunch of people at an event, but if you don't gain something from the interaction then it's just talking.

Both extroverts and introverts can be successful networkers; they just need to approach it differently.  Introverts don't have to fake being extroverts in order to network successfull, but they should do a bit of preparation before the event so that they can be confident in their interactions.  Introverts may have more difficulty starting a conversation, but they tend to develop more meaningful connections.

Here are some tips that you can use to improve your networking skills, regardless of the situation in which you find yourself:

• research in advance - what is the purpose of the event, why are people there, who is likely to attend and what connections would you like to make?
• volunteer to help with the event - particularly good for conferences or meetings since people are always glad to have help and you become an instant "insider" with lots of opportunities to talk to others
• arrive early to group events - it's less daunting and you have time to focus on each of the newer arrivals rather than trying to navigate a large group
• spot check before you arrive - are you pulled together?  Have your business cards handy?
• get in a line - this sounds funny, but often we meet interesting people while waiting in lines, and you never know who might be a good connection
• eat or (soft) drink before the event, this keeps that magic spinach from appearing in your teeth
• if you take someone's business card, take a moment to make a note on the back of who they are and why they talked to you, so when you follow up later you can remember who they wereand why you have their card (this works for vendor rooms too, what did you discuss with that company?)
• practice active listening, don't look over someone's shoulder when you are talking to them and focus your attention on what they are saying
• be authentic - don't try to impress someone, just share your information and thoughts
• don't hang on one person all night, you need to circulate (be a best-seller not a research tome)
• follow up after the event, remind the person where you met and what you discussed (from your notes on the business card), otherwise you aren't building a connection

Learning 2018 - Conference Review

In November I attended the Learning 2018 conference in Orlando.  This was the 28th year of this conference, which brings learning and development professionals together from around the world.  This year there were 1873 attendees from 27 different countries were represented, who are responsible for learning and development for over 30 million employees worldwide.

The theme of the conference this year was "Learning Changes."  Learners are changing, technology is changing, as are expectations and the economy.  The other main theme of the conference this year was the need for diversity, what it really means, and that cultivating diversity isn't just culturally positive, but can bring about economic improvements as well.  Other themes running through the conference included leadership development and designing effective onboarding for new staff. 

One idea that regularly was mentioned was the idea of fear and how it prevents us from achievement.  Keynote speaker Leslie Odom Jr. said that he recognized that all the things he wants in life are "on the other side of my fear," and session leader Deepak Sethi suggested that the way to overcome fear is to do more of the thing that you fear.  I even experienced a tiny bit of fear myself when trying to drive a bulldozer in the construction simulation machine, where the danger isn't real but is noticable and can affect performance.

I also learned some interesting but random things, like the fact that there are conferences for people who design and run haunted houses, that walking in a small group in a natural setting is the best stress reliever, and that  Plants vs. Zombies is a good learning game because you have to plan ahead and adapt.  I also learned that when NASCAR pit crews change tires they leave the lug nuts on the ground and they are routinely hit by these and other debris as the car returns to the track, and that in Fortune 1000 companies there are more CEOs named David than there are women, and only 3 are African-American.

Lisa R. Kenyon
Staff Development and Training

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