Preparing for Conference

Hi Everyone! Michael Colford here, one of the co-chairs, along with Gianna Gifford and Ellen Keane, who run the Massachusetts Library Association's Annual Conference. I'm going to be blogging the conference as much as time allows, but things get fairly hectic during conference so that might not be so much. Not to worry! Our blogmistress extraordinnaire, Beth Gallaway, has assembled a team of bloggers from libraries of all types to keep you informed about all the goings-on at this year's conference! This is a great way to find out what you missed in programs that you can't attend.

My posts will show you a little bit of the "behind-the-scenes" at the conference. We report in at the Sturbridge Host Hotel & Conference Center for a 3:30 meeting with hotel staff tomorrow, to go over all the last minute arrangements; make sure the food, room set-ups, and AV needs are all correct; and most importantly stress the importance of clean women's rest rooms!

Tonight there's a bit of a frantic, last-minute preparations feel to things. It's after 9:30 p.m. and I just got off the phone with MLA's Executive Manager, Diane Klaiber, working out a transportation crisis for one of our speakers, and following up on some other last minute craziness. One of the drawbacks of having so many nationally known speakers is that they're all flying in and flying out. Being in Sturbridge, it's not all that easy to get them to and from the airport. Scheduling the ground transportation has been a bit of a roller coaster, as we decided to try and save the exorbitant care service fees by providing the driving ourselves. So yes, we'll save some money, but not without some headaches. Right now we're looking at poor Gail Simone being stranded at Logan tomorrow night! Just kidding. We've got a plan in motion.

So do check in often, tell your friends and colleagues, and feel free to comment if you feel moved to do so. Hopefully many of you will be attending the conference... and if you're not registered yet, don't worry... you can still do so onsite!