First Timers | Blogging at Conference | Roomates and Rides | Great Food and Fun Spots

Here are some tips on how to navigate through the conference:

1. Wear comfortable shoes! You'll be walking and standing a lot.
2. Review the conference preliminary program so you can work out which workshops or concurrent sessions look just right. When you get to conference, check the program to see what rooms, what time and how best to navigate your way to your sessions.
3. Give yourself plenty of time to go to each exhibitor booth - even if you've never purchased their wares, you'll meet them, learn about their product and maybe come away with some new ideas you hadn't thought of before.
4. Bring plenty of business cards if you have them (or make some). Also, bring a couple os sheets of address labels with your name, title, address, phone number, and email. Many vendors will ask for your information to send you catalogs and other information and to enter you in their drawings. Being able to just get out a label with all that information will save you a lot of time and writing.

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Are you coming to CSLA for the first time? Will you be coming alone? with another newbie? with a veteran? If you are coming with a veteran, you have someone to make suggestions. If you are coming by yourself or with another person new to the CSLA conference, here are a few suggestions to consider:

1. Make up your list of holiday presents for children in your life and their ages. You will be able to buy copies and have them autographed by the authors and illustrators, and you will have a shorter list for December. 
2. Try to read as much as you can before the conference so you will have decided which of the sessions will be your first choice. Then pick a second session. Sometimes the sessions fill and you need to find a substitute as quickly as you can. If someone else is coming from your school district, you will wan to choose different sessions and share what you learn as soon as you can. You will wnat to bring back as much information as you can to share with other librarians and your teachers.
3. Pack comfortable clothing for the conference. You will be going between sessions, exhibits, meetings, and you want to be able to sit on the floor in crowded sessions. You might want something special to wear to the conference banquet.
4. Take along a lot of $1 bills to tip people at the airport for checking your luggage (unless you are charged), the person who unloads your car, and the bellman who takes your luggage to the room. 
5. Once you arrive at the convention center, follow the signs to the registration desk and pick up your registration materials. If the lines aren't long, introduce yourself to the people at the registration desk. They have been working for CSLA to make this conference work. If the lines are long, do it another time. You are going to get a badge with your name on it. Everyone will have a badge, and the unfortunate thing about these badges is that you tend to look at the badge and not at the face above it. When you meet someone you find interesting, try to remember the name and the face.
6. In the exhibits, vendors have a great deal of good information about their products. You can learn about the things you may want to buy or updates of products you may own. Plan to spend time talking to them.
7. Plan to have a great time. You will! 

See you in November!