A View from the Stacks: A Post-Conference Wrap-up…

First off, may I congratulate those at my work who brought back pens from St. Louis.  I believe we tallied 34 pens in total (of which, 30 will go missing in the next five days, but no matter).  If Lexis-Nexis pens are the future currency, we are doing alright.

So, all is back to normal here at King County Law Library.  Staff members have returned, everyone has caught up on their email and the post-conference “hangover” (overindulgence on programs, not liquor) has ebbed.  From what it sounds like, the conference was a smashing success and all who went had a good time.  And fun came in all forms, including a talent show that I am sorry to say I missed, since our director was involved.  Thankfully, there is a video of his singing, which was quite good.

Sometime during this past week, and after a phone call from a friend of mine who was in St. Louis having a great time, I got to thinking about professional conferences.  What programs would I like to attend?  What would I, if ever, like to propose as a program?  And most importantly, where would I like to go?

All these questions intensified after the realization that the WESTPAC conference (which boasts Willie…a buffalo mascot in a Hawaiian shirt) was going to be in Las Vegas this year http://westpac.law.unlv.edu/ .  Essentially, I was trying to hatch a plan to get to Vegas, but I needed an excuse, since I wanted the library to pay for my travel, room and bond (the last part is a joke, Mom).  While pleading my case for library cash, one of our librarians told me to “get on a panel discussion.”  It seems that this would justify my going to Las Vegas in September.

I am sure one day I will go to Las Vegas, but I will not be going to Las Vegas in September for the WESTPAC Conference. 

Unless they need a last minute expert in one of my many fields (the topics vary folks), I will just have to start concentrating my efforts on other conferences.  All the programs look interesting, but I am no expert on any of the topics being presented.  The best I can do is plead my “expertise” on the Nevada Sex Industry, since I once read a book on the topic (the name of the book is Brothel and it is quite interesting).  I have feeling that this is not nearly enough study on the topic.

Oh, and can library technicians even be on panel discussions?  I better find out before next year, because I hear the WESTPAC conference will be in Hawaii. 

Stina McClintock, Library Technician, King County Law Library (Seattle).

Editor’s Note: WESTPAC meets in Las Vegas, my local chapter met in Indianapolis last year. Life is cruel, very, very cruel.

BTW I want to thank West for the free Black’s Law Dictionary. It fetched two dollars at my hotel bar. I also want to thank Stina for referring me to Schlafly's Brew Pub. The Univ. of Cincinnati Law Library staff and friends enjoyed dinner there. Schlafly's Oatmeal Stout and catching up with a dear old friend made St. Louis worthwhile.