(via Andrea Malone, University of Houston)
Thank you to all who have volunteered thus far to be a conference buddy. We are extending the deadline for others who may have missed the initial call. Please see the details that follow.
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The ALA IRRT (International Relations Round Table) International Librarians’ Orientation/Mentoring Committee seeks members to volunteer as in-person conference buddies for international librarians attending the 2023 ALA Annual Conference in Chicago (Thursday, June 22 – Tuesday, June 27). As a conference buddy, you will share your experiences, help international librarians navigate the event, network, and make a new friend. What will being a buddy involve?
Before the conference, plan to…
- Communicate with the international librarian before traveling to the conference to introduce yourself and establish a rapport.
- Share general travel schedule, such as arrival and departure dates.
- Provide contact information preference for them to use during the conference.
During the conference, plan to meet up with your buddy at least once (or more if your schedule allows and you both agree). Suggested activities might include:
- Sharing best practices/advice/suggestions for navigating the conference.
- Having a meal together or meeting for coffee/tea.
- Inviting them to attend a session with you.
- Visiting the exhibits together.
- Attending a networking/social event together.
If you are interested in being a buddy, please complete the form by Friday, May 5. If selected, you will be notified on June 9, 2023, and provided the name and contact information of the international librarian with whom you are paired. Please note that you may not be selected if the number of volunteers exceeds the number of requests for buddies.
If you have any questions, please share them via a response to this post as others may have similar questions. If you are unable to access the Google form, please contact a member of the committee via one of the following addresses:
Peter Bae – sbae@princeton.edu
Andrea Malone – armalone@uh.edu
Karen Downing – kdown@umich.edu