Conference season has arrived for many of us in the Library and as we plan who should attend what conference this year, I wanted to take a moment to reflect on the reasons why staff should attend. Are there any benefits? Do the benefits outweigh the cost?
Perhaps the key for me is ensuring that the conference will support at least one of our yearly goals. I see this strategic approach as a critical factor. While the conference can certainly be positioned as a learning experience, it really is about the “takeaways” and how they will be implemented when the staff member returns. Innovation and providing cutting-edge services cannot happen without the opportunities to see what is beyond the walls of the Library.
During a recent meeting with Amy Draemel who manages our ILLiad Document Delivery Services (DDS), I was struck by her enthusiasm as well as her “to do” list based on the recent conference she attended with Christine Beardsley (Librarian, DDS). In late March, they attended the 2013 ILLiad International Conference which provided an opportunity to learn about new and upcoming enhancements to a product which is the backbone of our internal DDS. This service continues to be a vital part of how we provide full text scholarly articles to our user community. Over 2,000 individuals from 67 departments depend on the DDS team so that they can stay current in their areas of interest. For us, staying on top of product changes and understanding how other institutions’ document delivery services function guarantees that we will continue to deliver an A+ service. The current budget climate also increases the value of DDS since this service helps to supplement our electronic journal collection. It is definitely not a replacement but it allows the DDS team to obtain full text articles, book chapters, and books that we don’t have in our collection. There is also an advantage to supporting the greater medical library community for their interlibrary loan needs as this builds and fosters strong collaborative relationships and creates a positive environment in which to do business.
At the ILLiad conference, Amy and Christine also presented a poster entitled Always Singing the Same Tune? Strike a new chord with a LibGuide for ILL! where they shared their approach to teaching and marketing this service. Poster sessions provide a great environment for exchanging ideas and networking with individuals who have similar interests. This type of activity can also spark new ideas to bring back!
In summary, the following list is both what I perceive as key benefits for attending a conference but also key elements to ensure a great experience for the staff member!
- Learn new techniques, technologies – Listen to experts and colleagues.
- Develop a continuous improvement mentality – Benchmark how the library measure against others. How does the library impact and integrate into the work lives of its user community?
- Educational and networking opportunities – Learn and grow from your network of colleagues.
- Face-to-Face time – Talk one-on-one with information providers (vendors and publishers).
- Participation and engagement possibilities – Present a poster, be a speaker, be part of a panel discussion or member of a committee, teach a class.
Ultimately, the value of any conference comes from what your library staff member brings back and shares. Returning with just one great idea – a new service, a change in an operational procedure, or a new product or app that can enhance informed decision-making for our users truly makes the investment in time and money spent worthwhile. In essence, the conference shouldn’t have an end date but be a springboard towards future ideas tailored to the needs of the library staff and user community.
Donna Gibson
Director of Library Services