I am so very excited about the upcoming NCLA/SELA conference in October! Our conference planning committee has worked tirelessly for the past two years to provide our members with an amazing lineup of keynote speakers, posters, presenters and exhibitors. With our award-winning
Whova App, we can engage in many different ways, whether you are attending from a distance or able to travel to Winston-Salem. You can access the conference on the go with your device, or on the web on your desktop computer. Up-to-date event information, personalized agenda, live polls, messages, and exciting photos are all at your fingertips. Network by scheduling meet-ups, participating in the chat and Q&A. Most of you will be attending virtually, so we hope that you will be able to take time away from work, or at least close your office door and focus on the conference, so you can be fully present. It is so easy to multi-task while attending webinars, but don’t cheat yourself from the conference experience! Fully engage and enjoy each aspect of this wonderful event. Don’t forget to visit our exhibitor booths and take part in the photo contest for a chance to win prizes! Trivia fans will not be disappointed - we will offer virtual trivia on Thursday evening for you trivia buffs - prizes will be awarded and fun will be had!!!
In person opportunities: Full conference registrants may attend the conference in Winston-Salem at no extra charge for the all-conference reception on Thursday and the closing luncheon on Friday. The Benton Convention center will safely host our conference. Masks will be required and provided. You may watch Benton’s
video to learn more about their safety protocols. At the all-conference reception we will be celebrating award recipients and some of you may want to dance - DJ J-MIK will be in the house! Heavy hors d’oeuvres will be served, along with a cash bar. On Friday, we will have our closing business meeting and luncheon with an Asian Fusion themed buffet, including gluten free and vegetarian options. NC author Cadwell Turnbull will be our keynote speaker.
Paying it forward: This year, NCLA is collecting donations that will be used to help persons needing financial assistance to attend the conference and Librarians Build Communities. More opportunities to participate in LBC will be announced during the conference.
Conflicts attending during conference week?
The beauty of a hybrid conference is that if you are unable to attend “live,” you can watch the recordings later. You may choose a lower rate to only access recordings after the conference, though you’ll miss out on the full experience; full conference registrants will also be able to access the recordings for six months after the conference. Full conference registration will end October 15th at noon. If you have not registered,
do it now! What are you waiting for?
NCLA 2021 Conference Chair, VP/PE,