I Miss Normal Conferences

In three weeks it will be time for the annual Texas Librarian Association conference. This is the second year that the conference will be virtual. Last year I was all set to help run the 2020 TLA Conference in Houston when one week before the conference was to begin, it was cancelled due to COVID-19. Thus kicking off the months and months of online conferences in the education world. I can’t tell you how many Zoom conferences I’ve attended in the past year. And while it’s nice to hear an author speak like that or hear experts discuss topics, NOTHING will ever be able to replace in-person conferences.

It’s not just about seeing, meeting and hearing authors speak. It’s not just about attending in-person sessions to learn more about how to best help your patrons, students, teachers, community, etc. It’s about connecting IN PERSON with others in our field. In the last year I have grown my PLN (professional learning network) so much. I have best librarian and teacher friends that I’ve never met in person. We have only seen one another through a screen. I am more than ready to see them in the flesh, hug them and interact in the physical world. That’s by far my favorite part of attending conferences. I learn so much from my peers and then getting to see them, both professionally and socially, fills my cup more than I can tell you. No one “gets” this profession more than those who live it day in and day out. So when we all gather together in one place, it’s nothing short of magical.

I didn’t get to attend my first Mavericks Reading List panel last year because they only included certain sessions in the virtual conference. Our Maverick panel this year will be pre-recorded book talks and while I know that it’s important to still have a conference, even if it’s virtual, I feel so sad that I’m missing out on big events I would have normally been a part of like ProCo 2020 last year and Maverick panels last year and this year. As the incoming Chair for the Maverick List I looked forward to giving the new members their capes at our meeting at TLA this year. Instead they will receive it in the mail.

I miss lugging around bags and bags of autographed books. I miss standing in line for a popular session or an author signing. I miss taking fast and furious notes in sessions I attended. I miss my feet aching at the end of the day because I’ve walked thousands of steps in a conference hall to learn and grow. I miss grabbing lunch or attending a sponsored luncheon with fellow librarians. I miss meeting up with people I’ve never met in person, but am inspired by daily. I miss meeting authors and getting to interact with them. I miss the late night After Hours TLA events like the Lip Sync Battle or Drag Queen read alouds. I miss hearing the award winners announced. I miss hearing the keynote speaker, whoever it may be, who always seems to understand our profession’s strengths and challenges. I even miss the housekeeping announcements at the beginning of TLA and the Region meetings.

All this to say, I know how much work goes into taking an in-person conference and making it virtual and I am so thankful to all who helped put this and every other conference I’ve attended this year together. I know all of this was 100% out of our control. It doesn’t take away the fact that we are all missing the normal conference experience and cannot wait until we can once again connect with each other in person. And that conference, whenever or wherever it may be, is going to be lit.