It’s conference time! I wanted to share a few “know before you go” details – and relay a few ways where you can get engaged. (In case you missed it, this year’s conference is being hosted at Saginaw Valley State University on May 13 &14
th, and
registration is open!)
There is a very strong
list of programs, and what promises to be the biggest
poster and information fair yet! Monday has optional
dinearounds scheduled, and you can connect with your
Interest Group and see if they have planned a meetup. Our partners in the
Mid-Michigan Digital Practitioners are meeting the Wednesday following the conference, and of course – don’t miss this year’s
keynote speaker Rebecca Blakiston talking about “A Human-Centered Strategy for Advancing Library Value.”
There is more happening than I can relay here – so look for communications from the conference committee with more details. And while we’re on the topic – if you see any of the
hard working individuals who volunteered their time to organize such an incredible event, please thank them for their service in making this event a reality!
Please don’t miss the Tuesday lunch, which features a brief membership meeting. This is a great chance to hear highlights from our
committees, gain insight into what is happening behind the scenes, and even hear how MiALA is doing financially (spoiler: we’re doing good!).
The board also wants to provide some time to answer
your questions. To help make this manageable – as we’ll have over 200 people in the room – we’re providing question cards at the registration table. If you have a question for your elected leadership, please fill out a card and hand it back to the good folks at the registration desk. We will combine questions and answer as many as time allows.
As a final note, I did want to mention
this year’s nominations for leadership positions. Nominations are open now, and will close on May 17
th, with elections starting on June 3
rd. I would encourage all of you to share your expertise and think about if you can serve MiALA. I think I can speak for many individuals by saying it is an incredibly rewarding experience!
Katherine Alphenaar