ALA 2007 -- where librarians get their drunk on

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Any library folk going to ALA Midwinter or Annual?

Also, why is registration so ridiculous? Hotels for annual in DC are already filling up. I can't be bothered right now.

― molly mummenschanz (molly d), Tuesday, 2 January 2007 16:16 (seventeen years ago) link

Also, Wyndham hotels are generally nice, no?

― molly mummenschanz (molly d), Tuesday, 2 January 2007 16:21 (seventeen years ago) link

Awesome! I haven't been to ALA in years and don't understand the cataloging parts, but ABA, at least, is free totebag city. I keep them ALL for loading up dry cleaning and loaning ceramic baking dishes (or anything heavy) to friends across town. What's the best part of ALA, Molls?

― Laurel (Laurel), Tuesday, 2 January 2007 16:31 (seventeen years ago) link

Oh Laurel! Are you coming to any ALAs this year?

Yeah, the swag bags and the free books are teh best. I have been using a tote bag from Other Press as a purse (I carry a lot of shit with me), but then it died a miserable death.

ALA is a boozefest, really. Well, after sitting in fairly mind-numbing cataloging meetings all day, one needs to drink afterwards. The last one was in New Orleans, and I'm pretty sure I got flashed by some fellow librarians, while drunkenly walking back to my hotel. They were dowdy middle-aged women, throwing beads and flashing people. Gross.

My favorite part is sitting with my bitchy gay men librarians, and playing "spot the librarian" until we drink ourselves into oblivion. White sneakers with socks AND hose? Check. Lots of buttons? Check. Awkward demeanor? Check. They must be a librarian! Also, with 15,000 of them running amok, it's not a hard game to play.

― molly mummenschanz (molly d), Tuesday, 2 January 2007 16:38 (seventeen years ago) link

ALA is a boozefest, really.

This is kinda why I never want to go to one -- nothing against boozefests per se, I just don't want to be anywhere near the librarians I know when they get drunk.

― Ned Raggett (Ned), Tuesday, 2 January 2007 17:18 (seventeen years ago) link

I'm not going, either. If it was in NYC or even Philly I could maybe swing it but company has no reason to send me and I'm not vacationing to Seattle!!

― Laurel (Laurel), Tuesday, 2 January 2007 17:19 (seventeen years ago) link

Besides which, I'll be in Seattle for EMP Pop Conference anyway. A much better reason for a boozefest!

Anyway surely it is understood that ALL academic conferences exist for drink, period.

― Ned Raggett (Ned), Tuesday, 2 January 2007 17:22 (seventeen years ago) link

Oh, I understand. I am fortunate enough to have librarian friends from all over who are of my ilk. We tend to avoid the other librarians like the plague (the ones who complain how their bunions are acting up from "all that walking!").

― molly mummenschanz (molly d), Tuesday, 2 January 2007 17:23 (seventeen years ago) link

I'm going to Seattle for ALA, but staying with my gay boyfriend. DC is going to be disgustingly hot, as ALA Annual was last year. Way to go, ALA! Choose the worst place possible for a conference (i know, i know, it's cheaper).

― molly mummenschanz (molly d), Tuesday, 2 January 2007 17:26 (seventeen years ago) link

The conference of the society whose journals we publish is in Seattle next week, but I don't get to go. :( I want a boozefest

― danno martinez (danno martinez), Tuesday, 2 January 2007 17:27 (seventeen years ago) link

Actually, after dealing with a bunch of library folk in the lunchroom, I'm beginning to start to dread "everyone else" at ALA. I can't handle the neuroses!

Drinks to obscure your entire day of meetings = fun
People in meetings = not so fun

― molly mummenschanz (molly d), Tuesday, 2 January 2007 19:10 (seventeen years ago) link

I'm going to the ACRL conference, but that's it.

― The Many Faces of Gordon Jump (Leon), Tuesday, 2 January 2007 19:33 (seventeen years ago) link

Oh! With John Waters as the keynote speaker? Is that one soon?

Someone tried to get me to go to that, but then I was lured on to an ALA ALCTS committee, and have to commit to both midwinter and annual conferences.

― molly mummenschanz (molly d), Tuesday, 2 January 2007 19:34 (seventeen years ago) link

With John Waters as the keynote speaker?

! Okay, that's a new one on me.

― Ned Raggett (Ned), Tuesday, 2 January 2007 19:35 (seventeen years ago) link

Yeah, I think it's in Baltimore!

― molly mummenschanz (molly d), Tuesday, 2 January 2007 19:36 (seventeen years ago) link

Oh right, now I do remember hearing something about that.

― Ned Raggett (Ned), Tuesday, 2 January 2007 19:38 (seventeen years ago) link

Yes! It's at the end of March, so it's kind of soonish. It will be fun, hopefully? I only usually attend the regional type meetings so this will be kind of new for me.

― The Many Faces of Gordon Jump (Leon), Tuesday, 2 January 2007 19:39 (seventeen years ago) link

I've never been to ACRL, just ALAs. They're fun. It's exciting to be around people "of your kind" but then it gets totally tiresome and you wish you could make all the lost library folks with their maps out in front of their confused faces disappear.

― molly mummenschanz (molly d), Tuesday, 2 January 2007 19:41 (seventeen years ago) link

About how long is the turnaround time? One day, two hours...?

― Ned Raggett (Ned), Tuesday, 2 January 2007 19:42 (seventeen years ago) link

Well, it happens as soon as you get to the airport, really. The full-blown irritation starts at the airport proper of hosting city when you get to hear all the librarians bicker about the price difference between shuttle and taxi.

― molly mummenschanz (molly d), Tuesday, 2 January 2007 19:44 (seventeen years ago) link

molly, i'll be at midwinter! my favorite thing to do at these conferences is to greet the librarians by name who are still wearing their name badges out in the Real World. "hello mildred, that's a lovely pair of ethnic-inspired earrings you are wearing!"

― Jenn P-B (banana grabber), Tuesday, 2 January 2007 21:33 (seventeen years ago) link

Yes! Perfect! That reminds me that playing "spot the woman's studies librarian" is also a hoot.

I went to the NMRT roundtable "social" for the free food while in San Antonio. I left. It was awkward and at the Hard Rock Cafe. I'm not even a member of NMRT.

― molly mummenschanz (molly d), Tuesday, 2 January 2007 21:36 (seventeen years ago) link

I went to San Antonio but was not allowed near the real librarians. I might stop by some DC conferences if anything looks interesting. I'd like to go to Seattle--maybe I will have a job by then...

― Matilda Wormwood (Mary ), Tuesday, 2 January 2007 22:15 (seventeen years ago) link

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