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The Purpose of ConferencesJanuary 5, 2009 There's a brief discussion about the viability and future of in-person conferences at Walt Crawford's side project, also known as the Palinet Leadership Network. (Regarding the PLN, I love the way Walt pulls the juicy bits from various blogs and excerpts them so I don't have to read so many of the boring things to keep up.) Walt thinks in-person conferences will be around for a while. Someone called Peter Murray doesn't because of "budget crunches and and concern over environmental impacts" among other things. "Conference calls, webcasts, online learning environment, etc., may be where we should be focusing our efforts now with ways to bring the 'why do we do them' reasons to the forefront without all of the detriments of the traditional conference."I couldn't help but cringe at that sentence. The "detriments of the traditional conference"? Whatever could those be? Budget crunches come and go and the average librarian would probably reduce her "environmental impact" more by giving up chocolate for a few months than by giving up conferences. Murray mentions conference calls and webcasts and online learning environments as if these would be any substitute for traditional conferences. This assumes that the purpose of conferences is to convey information. No, no, no, no, no. The purpose of conferences is to get librarians away from their tedious libraries and let them eat and drink at the library's expense while engaging in crucial socializing. The "detriments of the traditional conference" are all of the meetings, discussion groups, and programs one has to attend in between the morning coffee and the afternoon cocktail. If all we have are conference calls or webcasts to look forward to, then there isn't really much point to the proceedings anymore. How are we to tolerate too much interaction with other librarians if we aren't compensated with good drinks and great dinners? Badly, that's how. I suppose there are those librarians who get so excited by the thought of discussing library issues ad nauseum with their excitable librarian friends that they're often in danger of soiling their seats. Needless to say, if you're reading this, you probably aren't one of them. These librarians actually prefer to converse with people online instead of in person. They spend hours every day communicating enthusiastically about all sorts of boring topics like libraries, computer software, and the Annoyed Librarian. Let's take it for granted these librarians have no life outside of their laptops. Does that mean the rest of us want to be assimilated into the Borg of Twopointopia? Absolutely not! I mean, seriously. Webcasts? Online learning? Conference calls? Are these supposed to get us excited? Are we really supposed to think anybody learns anything from a webcast or an online class? Of course not. That's about as likely as someone learning anything at a conference program. The difference is the conference program is merely the excuse to get together for some top notch socializing, whereas the webcast is supposed to be an end in itself. Yawn. The Palinet Leadership Network presumably has something to do with library leadership. I hear such a thing exists somewhere, though I haven't seen much evidence of it. My advice to library leaders is to send your poor librarians off to as many in-person conferences as you possibly can if you want to improve morale. Librarians need to get out of their cocoons, knock back a few drinks, gorge themselves on some tasty victuals, and look around to see that there are hundreds, perhaps thousands of librarians just as pathetic and harried as they are.They'll carry this recognition back to their jobs and then won't feel so put upon when you try to crush their souls some more. They'll think, "well, my soul is being crushed a little, but not as bad as that woman from Texas I met at the Annoyed Librarians Happy Hour!" Conferences are a small price to pay to keep the talent happy. Posted by Annoyed Librarian on January 5, 2009 | Comments (73) Industries: Opinion
              
January 5, 2009
In response to: The Purpose of Conferences Guybrarian commented: Maybe the name of this blog should be changed to Mr. Kat's Blog. It would be nice to hear from different people once in a while.
January 5, 2009
In response to: The Purpose of Conferences Crushed Soul Librarian commented: "Are we really supposed to think anybody learns anything from a webcast or an online class? Of course not."
January 5, 2009
In response to: The Purpose of Conferences Free from Conferences commented: I won't be able to attend a conference this year due to the aforementioned budget crunch and I confess to a certain relief. They stopped being fun a long time ago. Also, our per diem doesn't support much beyond a burger for dinner, no alcohol, and I'm not important enough to get comped by a vendor.
January 5, 2009
In response to: The Purpose of Conferences TiredMonday commented: Online conferences? Noooooo!!!!! Seriously, I feel that it is my librarian duty to make Elsevier, Blackwell, Ebsco and the like to wine and dine me in return for the astronomical rate hikes and prices that my library pays. To say nothing of the opportunity to go to 2 or 3 new/different cities a year on my library's expense account. What would I do if I couldn't experience the Innovative (III) chocolate fountain at their dessert reception?!?
January 5, 2009
In response to: The Purpose of Conferences Working Stiff commented: The purpose of conferences is to get the do nothing librarians and administators out of the library for a week so that we can actually get some work done.
January 5, 2009
In response to: The Purpose of Conferences Privateer6 commented: While e-conferences and what not do have their place, they can be irritating, especially with people talking in the background, complaining about connections ans internet speed, people answerign referecne questions while on the teleconfernce, people multitasking, ad nasueum.
January 5, 2009
In response to: The Purpose of Conferences the.effing.librarian commented: I NEED to know that you are all as fat and bald and slovenly as I am, that you drag your feet when you walk, that you take many prescription drugs to calm you, that you have poor personal hygiene and bad skin and a stain on your pants that you can't get out. How can a webcast show me that?
January 5, 2009
In response to: The Purpose of Conferences walt crawford commented: "Walt Crawford's side project"? How about "Walt Crawford's day job"? Unless you believe that I somehow earn a living from Cites & Insights and Walt at Random...
January 5, 2009
In response to: The Purpose of Conferences Crazy Cat Lady commented: Without conferences, where we will get to see the latest in patterned turtleneck and appliqued sweatshirt designs? Are cats or teddy bears the applique of choice this year? Or will it be something completely new and shocking, like the great penguin fad of 2006?
January 5, 2009
In response to: The Purpose of Conferences Dumm Question commented:
January 5, 2009
In response to: The Purpose of Conferences Post Postmodern Librarian commented: I see conferences as personal moral boosters, makes me actually think good about my choice of being a librarian. Go Team feelings. Not that I can do anything I learn, its just the warm fuzzy feeling. You will never get that from a remote conference. God save us from fads!
January 5, 2009
In response to: The Purpose of Conferences Brent commented: I go because of guilt. I do a lot of things because of guilt. I saw AL posted during the holiday break; I'm impressed.
January 5, 2009
In response to: The Purpose of Conferences Unbrent commented:
AL is paid to blog and if you call those burnt offerings "good" maybe the next break AL can type in a few pages of the phone book and keep you happy.
January 5, 2009
In response to: The Purpose of Conferences Naysayer commented: I agree that in this financial climate, we ought to rethink traveling to conferences.
January 5, 2009
In response to: The Purpose of Conferences Elisa commented: I took 2 online classes in library school during the summer session and hated that format.
January 5, 2009
In response to: The Purpose of Conferences Elisa commented: I took 2 online classes in library school during the summer session and hated that format.
January 5, 2009
In response to: The Purpose of Conferences SpunPsychosis commented:
January 5, 2009
In response to: The Purpose of Conferences carptrash commented: It feels good to be an arsehole, doesn't it?
January 5, 2009
In response to: The Purpose of Conferences Ed U Cation commented:
I wouldn't know. If you want to know what being an asshole is like, I am your man! You can find me at many a library conference, swilling martinis and chasing reference librarians.
January 5, 2009
In response to: The Purpose of Conferences Million commented: I wasen't away flying to the other side of the country was necessarry to do the same things you can do at home. Socalizing, getting laid, and boozing included...
January 5, 2009
In response to: The Purpose of Conferences Oops commented: *aware
January 5, 2009
In response to: The Purpose of Conferences Oopsie commented: *wasn't
January 5, 2009
In response to: The Purpose of Conferences Wish I were there commented: Maybe you shouldn't be socializing, getting laid, or getting drunk when you are posting.
January 5, 2009
In response to: The Purpose of Conferences Mr. Original Impostor Library Cynic commented: I keep wondering if they ran an online conference like this blog. Think of various people with their features obscured, and their voices altered to where they sound like they are someone who has inhaled freon. Hmmmm....that's pretty much the way it is here. Did anyone read ALA's story about Laura Bush? eeeeeek
January 5, 2009
In response to: The Purpose of Conferences Original Anonymous Impostor commented: Ever wonder how many people actually are commenting here under several names? "Lara Bush; Librarian in the White House"? Yawn.....It was either Dubya or more years in the library. eeeeeeek.
January 5, 2009
In response to: The Purpose of Conferences Detached Amusement commented: Jim, is it true that ALA's pension fund was invested with Bernie Madoff?
January 5, 2009
In response to: The Purpose of Conferences Tauren Hunter commented: I'll be happy to attend on-line conferences if they'll hold them in Azeroth and we can do 15 people raids. Maybe a little PvP thrown in for fun... catalogers v. reference librarians.
January 5, 2009
In response to: The Purpose of Conferences Mikey commented: I am that woman from Texas you met whose soul was being crushed by a library leader (a mover and a shaker no less). I knew it was you Annoyed Librarian.
January 5, 2009
In response to: The Purpose of Conferences Auntie Nanuuq commented: All ya'll sure the hell are funny today...a'yup...fer sure.
January 6, 2009
In response to: The Purpose of Conferences Lib-Anon commented: Research partnerships? Give me a break.
January 6, 2009
In response to: The Purpose of Conferences Johnny Wad commented:
Or in the motel room later ; )
January 6, 2009
In response to: The Purpose of Conferences Mister Dog commented: Why should my tuition help pay for a librarian to go to Seattle to learn about AACR2?
January 6, 2009
In response to: The Purpose of Conferences dork commented: AL blogs are no fun to read now :(
January 6, 2009
In response to: The Purpose of Conferences dorker commented: That should read All blogs are not fun to read now.
January 6, 2009
In response to: The Purpose of Conferences dorkest commented: That should read: Blogs are not fun to read.
January 6, 2009
In response to: The Purpose of Conferences dorkiest commented: That should read: Logs are not fun to read. They need to be pulped and turned into paper and have printing put on them and bound in a book and put into a library and cataloged by a professional librarian who is highly skilled because they get laid at every conference they attend to be interesting.
January 6, 2009
In response to: The Purpose of Conferences Kitty Konfusion commented: Mr. Kat, I'm just curious - what happened to Kat? We never see I'm Kat! anymore...
January 6, 2009
In response to: The Purpose of Conferences Lib-Anon commented: Oh yes---research about gaming in academic libraries. Forgive me, I forgot about all of the "authentic" research being done by librarians.
January 6, 2009
In response to: The Purpose of Conferences Not Mr. Kat commented: Like we care who anyone is here!
January 6, 2009
In response to: The Purpose of Conferences You're No Mr. Kat commented: If you're not Mr. Kat, you have no business on this blog. Please go somewhere else so Mr. Kat can continue posting. Thank you.
January 6, 2009
In response to: The Purpose of Conferences librarydude commented: Mr. Kat, do you really think anyone cares whether you are making posts or not? Here's the answer: we don't.
January 6, 2009
In response to: The Purpose of Conferences carptrash commented: Mr. Kat seems to have a slighty elevated sense of self-importance. eeeeek
January 6, 2009
In response to: The Purpose of Conferences Kit Kat commented: Sur Kat,
January 6, 2009
In response to: The Purpose of Conferences Conferences commented: I went to one conference in my last semester of my MLIS program.
January 6, 2009
In response to: The Purpose of Conferences Mr. Dog commented: Sorry, Mr. Kat, we did not know your name was copyrighted. Please everyone just let it go.
January 6, 2009
In response to: The Purpose of Conferences Mr. Dog commented: Wow! I did not know you were the sole owner of "Mr. Kat". I guess any "Mr. Kat" screen name that I come across online belongs to you. My apology.
January 6, 2009
In response to: The Purpose of Conferences Vegans For Vegetables commented: This blog is a joke and that joke's not funny anymore. It's too close to home and too near the bone, too close to home and too near the bone, more than you'll ever know. I've seen this happen in other people's lives and now it's happening in Mr Kat's. Too bad.
January 6, 2009
In response to: The Purpose of Conferences Claire commented: I am currently on a FOUR HOUR CONFERENCE CALL and it's almost 9:00. This is because my institution was too cheap to send me to a conference.
January 6, 2009
In response to: The Purpose of Conferences Claire commented: I am currently on a FOUR HOUR CONFERENCE CALL and it's almost 9:00. This is because my institution was too cheap to send me to a conference.
January 7, 2009
In response to: The Purpose of Conferences Original Anonymous Impostor commented: Go out an rent a copy of the film version of Franz Kafka's "The Castle". Notice any similarity to the comments on this blog? Bunch of boredom today on East Huron, from the looks of it.
January 7, 2009
In response to: The Purpose of Conferences Original Anonymous Impostor commented: Go out an rent a copy of the film version of Franz Kafka's "The Castle". Notice any similarity to the comments on this blog? Bunch of boredom today on East Huron, from the looks of it.
January 7, 2009
In response to: The Purpose of Conferences Detached Amusement commented: "What the Internet has allowed you to do is make all the human frailities like greed, avarice and all those lovely things much more efficient."
January 7, 2009
In response to: The Purpose of Conferences Suzilibrarian commented: Hey Mr. Kat(s),
January 7, 2009
In response to: The Purpose of Conferences **sigh** commented: If we say fuck, the AL jumps right in and deletes our post. Even if it is pertinent to the discussion.
January 7, 2009
In response to: The Purpose of Conferences not Mr. Katt commented: Mr. Kat, if you are so hung up on getting the word out under your own name, start your own blog (you can do it for free) and post to your hearts content.
January 7, 2009
In response to: The Purpose of Conferences Meth Mouth commented: Whew! it's good to know that not Mr. Kat has things under control. My god, what would we have done with out your directive?
January 7, 2009
In response to: The Purpose of Conferences Assemblage Diffract commented: Mr. Kat, seriously, if you simply stop posting eventually the troll cabal will get bored, even more bored than they already are, and will either pick on another handle to stalk or give up altogether. You are feeding them and they will keep coming back for more.
January 7, 2009
In response to: The Purpose of Conferences not Mr. Katt commented: If you don't want your precious fucking intellectual property devalued, don't post here. Make it clear on your dead page blog that any other posts are not yours.
January 7, 2009
In response to: The Purpose of Conferences Not the AL commented:
I hope so, there is no there there.
January 7, 2009
In response to: The Purpose of Conferences Nobody commented: Where were we again?
January 7, 2009
In response to: The Purpose of Conferences carptrash commented: Where were we again?
January 7, 2009
In response to: The Purpose of Conferences Confused commented:
January 7, 2009
In response to: The Purpose of Conferences Hyper Sensitive commented:
That holiday offends me. You will hear from my attorney.
January 7, 2009
In response to: The Purpose of Conferences English Major commented: It's not really a holiday. It's more of a day of thought - like Valentine's Day. So there is no religious basis for a lawsuit.
January 7, 2009
In response to: The Purpose of Conferences Hyper Sensitive commented:
That statement offends me too. I am adding you, the AL, and the Library Journal to my list of people I am suing!
January 7, 2009
In response to: The Purpose of Conferences decent-looking straight guy commented: I met my hot librarian girlfriend at a conference. When you go to one of those rare well-thought-out, substantive sessions at a library conference *and* the presenter is cute and single it's well worth it. I'm a lucky man.
January 7, 2009
In response to: The Purpose of Conferences anonymous commented: So, how hard could it be to add Kat to the list of disqualified HTML tags?
January 7, 2009
In response to: The Purpose of Conferences Shush Puppy commented: Mr Kat, time to change your litter. It's s-t-i-n-k-y!!
January 7, 2009
In response to: The Purpose of Conferences Conference times commented: Decent:
January 7, 2009
In response to: The Purpose of Conferences IP commented: {~I'm Kat!} - Please stop using this signature. I talked to a IP lawyer and he said it is mine. If you want to use this signature please pay me. I am a poor librarian.
January 7, 2009
In response to: The Purpose of Conferences IP commented: Sorry, but I have been using it longer than you and not just on AL.
January 7, 2009
In response to: The Purpose of Conferences Knoxville Area Transit commented: My name is Dave Colscott and I am a representative of Knoxville Area Transit (KAT). We have been using a character called Mr. Kat since 1989 as part of our marketing campaign. I must ask that any use of Mr. Kat on this blog be terminated or we will pursue litigation. Thank you for your attention to this matter.
January 7, 2009
In response to: The Purpose of Conferences Ok commented: I guess every single person using "Mr. Kat" must now cease to use it on the internet. Can someone please volunteer to contact every single person so we can stop this debate? Just a quick search of "Mr. Kat" shows over 10,000 results. Good luck!
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