As an academic librarian, sometimes part of the job requires
attending library conferences. I’m called upon to leave the quiet space of the
library and interact (and commiserate!) with other librarians. If I’m
presenting too, I get to try to placate the Imposter Syndrome monster in my
head that’s forever whispering how everyone is going to find out soon that I
have no idea what I’m talking about. I guess if my Librarian Card gets revoked
I can still have a plain old library card. Being an introvert on top of all
this can make the experience pretty exhausting. Travelling to a new place and
being forced to talk with people is not an introvert’s favorite thing to do.
Here are some things that have helped me survive that I hope will help other
introverts too:
Routine: I’m a very regimented person. I can get…let’s say
testy when my routine is disturbed. Making an early flight or having to attend
a conference “lunch” by a vendor that’s really a timeshare presentation can
take a lot out of me. I try to stick to some kind of routine as much as I can. I
can’t control that the five sessions on AI in libraries all happen at the same
time, but I can take my vitamins at 11:03 and not a second later.
Alone time: My parents always assured me that I would make
new friends at camp, but whenever I had a free moment I would cloister myself
with a book in a quiet space. Little Painted Librarian did not care if her
refuge was a hotspot for mosquitoes. But don’t worry, you will meet lots of interesting,
smart, nice people at a library conference. There will just be times that you
wish you could hit mute on every single person you meet because why does the
world have to be so loud? This is where alone time comes in. If you’re having
lunch with a group of cool librarians who love OER, maybe plan to have dinner
by yourself. If there’s a twenty minute break between sessions, run up to your
room and have some tea. Any alone time you can squeeze in will make you
energized to mix and mingle.
Sightseeing: Getting
to travel to a new state and have my job pay for it is pretty cool. I always budget
time for sightseeing to get some fresh air after a full day of sessions.
Conferences are like Vegas casinos, they purposely don’t have any clocks
available. Before you know it, you spent a full eight hours in lightening
talks. If you’re a big history buff like me, do some research on cool museums
or libraries that are in the area. Sometimes the conference may schedule a tour
as part of their offerings too.
Self care: Remember when I mentioned like I’m a routine
person? That includes keeping up with my regular skincare routine. I usually
take either travel sized versions of my favorite skincare, or take whatever samples
I’ve accumulated. It can be risky to try a sample of a product you haven’t
tried before, so keep an eye out for any adverse reactions. I also always make
a sheet mask or two to rehydrate my skin after a long flight.
What are your tips to survive a library conference? Aliens, Extroverts, do these tips
resonate with you too?
