Thoughts on ASIST 2004
I keep comparing the ASIST Annual Meeting to the Special Libraries Association Annual Conferences I’ve attended. The content seems quite different. The sessions I attended were often based on academic research. Many of the sessions I go to at SLA are based on people doing things in their jobs. There’s a difference between theory and practice. When I leave SLA, I always feel like I’ve learned several things I can put to work in my position immediately. Even though I attended sessions of interest here, I don’t think I learned that much practical knowledge.
The number of attendees is substantially smaller. I had heard that ASIST is a much smaller organization. Attending the conference reinforced that statement. It seems like there’s a lot of comaraderie, like there is at SLA, but it’s different because the size of the organization means people’s chances of knowing each other are much better.
More attendees use laptops during the sessions, but it’s still a very small number of people.
The business meeting included a portion with an open mic. Members could get up to address the board and the other membership. I don’t remember much about what people said–someone said something about getting the student member voice on the board and someone asked about the Bulletin–but I remember thinking it’s a very neat idea. Does it work with ASIST because the organization is so small?
There’s also no major formalities like there are with SLA. The annual meeting doesn’t have television monitors and cameras so the people way in the back can see–there is no way in the back. It’s very simple, very plain. People and the proceedings seem to be much more informal, without as much pomp and circumstance.
The vendor exhibits consisted of one hallway of books and graduate programs instead of the giant rooms filled with vendors and exhibits at SLA.
After the last session I attended, the one on search engines, I went downstairs to try to find some wireless access. I saw Christina, who was waiting for some others to go to dinner. I joined them. One included Allison Druin, who had just presented on the children’s book digital library.
I found that many people asked me about my job and were interested in the nontraditional nature of it.
I was able to network with some colleagues at Harvard, whom I hadn’t met before. (It’s difficult to meet other librarians at Harvard, even though I attend some of the professional development programs and talks. They’re working on that.)
I’m glad I attended the conference. I don’t think I got as much out of it as I would have gotten at one day of SLA, but I wouldn’t say it was a waste of time. ASIST definitely provides a lot of technical content SLA does not. The association is vital for the scholarly side of information science.
