One of these days, I’ll start blogging again about a range of topics. To some extent, I’m still recovering from the compressed project of early February–and a followup to that project that occupied most of last week. Now, I’m polishing the next Cites & Insights…but also trying to make a decision, preferably by March 3.
Namely, to go or not to go? To ALA Annual in Las Vegas, that is.
The question is linked to “Toward 15 and 200: Your help wanted,” my attempt to establish a pool of sponsors and supporters for Cites & Insights–with perks for those who sponsor or support the direct and indirect costs of C&I, based on their sense that it’s worthwhile to them.
I believe it’s worthwhile to go to at least one library conference at least every couple of years, as part of an effort to stay involved in the library community. (The LSW FriendFeeders are obviously my primary involvement, but there’s worth in more general awareness, face-to-face conversations, seeing what vendors are up to, etc. as well.) The cost of attending is probably the major indirect cost of C&I–especially since it’s one I can certainly avoid (unlike domain registration, hosting, printer supplies and once in a while software/hardware: for example, this may be the year I give my five-year-old budget notebook its own retirement party).
Vegas would be a relatively inexpensive ALA Annual–the hotel prices are bargains, and it’s possible to get there for a reasonable price (on an unreasonable airline, but that’s a different issue). I’m a valley boy, so the heat of Vegas in June/July isn’t an issue. And it’s been a couple of years…
Anyway: I’m trying to make that decision. The level of support for C&I will help make it. If you find C&I to be moderately worthwhile, I invite you to chip in–with suggested levels of $30/year for supporters, $50/year (or more, of course) for sponsors, and perks at both levels. (The first such perk will go out this week to early donors–early notification of the next C&I.)
