May 25th, 2006
My supervisor tells me that if I put a request in early enough, she can request a budget allocation to send me to a conference in 2008. So, if I were to tramp off to one conference in ’08, which should I go to: PLA, Computers in Libraries, or Internet Librarian?
Go to PLA.
I had a great time at Internet Librarian last year and met many great people who now constitute my extended network of colleagues.
IL and CIL tend to have very similar programs and presenters. I’m in the west and would prefer to go to Monterey than DC, so that would be my pick.
I’m not a public librarian, so I can’t speak to PLA. I find the size of ALA to be very off-putting, so that’s another one in favor of Internet Librarian, where I had much more of a sense of a shared experience with my fellow conferees.
I’d pick Computers in Libraries or Internet Librarian. Judging from your interests, I think you’ll get more out of it. I haven’t been to Internet Librarian yet, but CIL was so great, and not just for the programs, but for the people who were there. The talks you have with people over drinks is the best part of the conference. And I have heard that IL is the same (though in a much cooler area than D.C.). Not to say PLA isn’t great, but I would think you’d get more out of one of the other two.
Why not turn in a proposal to speak at IL or CIL. If you speak, you don’t have to pay registration.