This past week marked my first attendance at the Computers in Libraries (CIL) conference, held yearly in Washington, DC.
The atmosphere at CIL is low-key, friendly, and inclusive. Attendees are united by a common interest in technology as it affects libraries and their users. There are five tracks, with different themes, but the keynotes are universal and tracks are open to anyone curious about the topic at hand. Cross pollination continues during breaks, at meals, or around the fire pits on the hotel terrace. Keynote videos and many presentation resources are now publicly available on the CIL site.
As a presenter, I was energized by the response to my topic, The Connected Library. Fellow librarians came up to chat afterwards, and I observed some of the audience members accessing tools I had highlighted within minutes of the slideshow. Others have commented on Twitter about how they will use what I shared, the ultimate test of a presentation's relevance, particularly since my focus was on social networking.
An added bonus was the glorious weather in Washington. Many of us were able to take the time to explore a bit. My photographs of the Cherry Blossom Festival, War Memorials, and CIL itself are available in a Flickr set.
Would I go to CIL again? Absolutely! And next year, I plan to stay a bit longer so that I can attend more sessions and visit more local attractions.
The Connected Library wiki
"The Cherry Blossom Festival" by dmcordell
