We hope you had a great time at the OLA SSD conference last month! If you've enjoyed attending, you might enjoy being on the conference committee as well. If yes, email olassdconference@gmail.com to sign up, or with your questions. If you're not sure, read on!
The graphic below has roles that have been part of the committee in the past few years, and a few of the responsibilities for each. This can be somewhat fluid, and we want you to be able to make SSD your own. If you're considering being involved, but want to know more, here's some FAQs based on the last few years. If you still have questions just email olassdconference@gmail.com and you can chat with a conference committee member.
How much of a time commitment is it?
- The last couple years we've had co-chairs and that's helped to balance responsibilities. The schedule has been a remote/virtual meeting once a month or so, for approximately an hour. Conference planning starts ~Sept. and really ramps up mid-May- July. For committee members, maybe an hour a week from roughly Feb-June, and a couple hours a week later June/July, on average. For chair(s), a little more than that.
What benefits are there?
-Helping to plan a conference for your peers, and helping to shape the theme, speakers, vendors, etc. Also, this looks fantastic on a resume/for professional development. You can hone or learn skills like time management, leadership, communication, marketing, promotion, negotiation, design, photography, decorating, and more. There's a lot of flexibility. Also, it's fun! The few years we've had a mix of public and academic library staff involved and it's a great way to meet people you wouldn't normally, network, and help each other build skills.
I want to, but I'm not sure how to check with my supervisor:
-We have a great blog post/interview with a supervisor of an SSD Board member here that will give you some tips.
How do I start/learn more?
-Email olassdconference@gmail.com. This is an email monitored by the 2017 conference committee, and we're happy to answer questions or provide you with specifics. If you'd like to schedule a phone/Skype/Google etc. hangout (or an in-person!) one with a 2017 committee member to ask us questions, email and we can see about setting something up!
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