Rocky Mountain Chapter SLA Blog

Word from the Conference

The SLA 2007 conference was very well-received.  Attendees enjoyed the speakers, topics and venues as well as the opportunity to network plus visit with the myriad of exhibitors. Many positive statements were made about the conference.  Here are a few captured quotes, posted with permission from the kind folks who made them.  Thanks again to all the people who made this year’s conference in Denver such a favorable experience!

"The Free Pint Limited team had a terrific time in Denver, and we hope you did as well. Thanks to the SLA for making this annual event so productive and meaningful. Their staff worked extraordinarily hard, under the leadership of Janice Lachance. We lift a pint to their efforts!"

Robin Neidorf
General Manager
Free Pint Limited
robin.neidorf@freepint.com
+1-612-392-2312

"I hope you enjoyed and benefited from the conference as much as I did.  Thank you to everyone for the energy and ideas."

David Stern
Director of Science Libraries and Information Services
Kline Science Library
Yale University
P.O. Box 208111
New Haven, CT 06520-8111
Email: david.e.stern@yale.edu
Web:  http://pantheon.yale.edu/~dstern/dsbio.html

"I thought this year's SLA was one of the best I have ever attended."

Gail Bulfin
Editor for News Research, Training and Readership
South Florida Sun-Sentinel
GBulfin@sun-sentinel.com

Thanks!

Robyn Hutson
Research Analyst
Hewlett Packard
Fort Collins, CO
E-mail: robyn.hutson@hp.com

SLA Conference presentations from Mary Ellen Bates

I gave several presentations at the Denver conference, and I've made the Powerpoint presentations available on my web site.

• Creating Groupies… marketing for people who don't necessarily want to market
• 20 Tips For Searching the New Web
• Super Searcher Secrets: What Today's Web Researcher Needs To Know

-Mary Ellen Bates

Conference Impressions from a First Timer

Thank you to RMSLA and Dialog for the scholarship to attend the SLA international conference. I attended Sunday through Thursday. Overall, I was very impressed with the organization of the whole operation, sessions, and exhibit. I spent most of my time attending sessions: I went to a total of nine sessions. Two of the sessions were general sessions- the opening keynote with Al Gore, and the Monday morning synergy session. The synergy session was great and I particularly liked the comments from Eugenie Prime and Stephen Abrams about the profession and our image and the future. 

I spent most of my time at sessions to learn what I could about the trends in knowledge management. Most of the KM sessions I attended were very good, there were some great presenters. I had not given prior thought to the fact that strong speakers make any topic and content better, as was the case with the sessions I attended.

I also attended sessions by two RMSLA members- Marcy Phelps and Mary Ellen Bates, which were both great. I volunteered a few hours at the RMSLA hospitality booth, which was fun and a good way to talk to people from all over.

Since I don't have any other conferences to compare with, it is hard to tell if this was different or better than most. But judging from the comments of others, it sounds as though this year's conference was top-notch, which makes me proud to be in the RMSLA group! I came away with a positive attitude about possibilities of careers "outside the box" in the information field, and realized that it will be really beneficial to form relationships with others in my same interest fields from across the country.

Lori Dubois

The Rocky Mountain Chapter rocks!

Thanks to everyone who volunteered their time and efforts to make the conference a true stand-out for the over 5000 attendees. This includes all of you who helped with the wiki, who provided advice via the conference listserv, volunteered to staff the Hospitality Booth, or in other ways helped put the conference together. It wouldn't have happened without the efforts of all of you!

I stopped by the Denver Hospitality Booth several times over the course of the conference, and almost every time, the booth volunteers were very busy helping attendees: answering questions, recommending restaurants, giving directions, and selling our awesome denim shirts! (which, by the way, sold out)

And, I heard regular comments: "Thank you!" "What a great conference!" "Great job!" I've heard from several people that we really "raised the bar" for SLA conferences - so congratulations again! (I don't think we'll hear any remarks about tornadoes again after this one ;)

Last, but certainly not least, a big thank you to Diane Tobin, Kathleen Rainwater, and the many sponsors and volunteers who helped put together Wednesday night's Student Reception (for all student conference attendees) and RMSLA "whew! it's over" party. To me, this was "the" event to attend - where else would you have the opportunity to meet and mingle with Chapter members, students, and luminaries like SLA President Rebecca Vargha and SLA President-Elect Stephen Abram?

Included in the event was the opportunity to have most of the new Denver Art Museum building all to ourselves. Great job everyone - this one will definitely last in members' memories.

If you have any doubt, take a look at these satisfied customers:

Scott Brown
scott.brown@sun.com
Rocky Mountain Chapter President

LIS Students Recognized by Dialog

Dialog generously contributed $500 to the chapter to cover the cost of conference registration for four LIS students.  The winners were recognized at the Reception on June 6, 2007.  From left to right, they are Michelle Rainbolt, Lynda Hoffman, Julie Carmen and Lori Dubois.

Congratulations to the winners!

Conference tour: Celestial Seasonings

So why would an RMSLA member want to do a tour at the SLA Conference in June? Sure, you've taken the Celestial Seasonings tour already (and opened your sinuses in the Mint Room) - why would you go again?

Because you can meet with people you've never met with before, and do some cool stuff too!

Join the CI Division and meet with the marketing team of Celestial Seasonings, the largest manufacturer and marketer of specialty teas in the United States. Learn about the tools this group uses, and the analysis performed when looking for opportunities in the marketplace.

We will take a tour of the facilities—including an art gallery, herb garden, and factory—and participate in a tea tasting. There will be plenty of time for a bite in the Cafe and a turn around the gift shop before returning to Denver.

If you HAVEN'T done the tour, can you really say you're a local? Learn more about tea than you thought possible.

To register, go here.

There is a link for registration is at the top (and below) the listing of tours. Space is limited, so if you are interested, register early. Don’t forget to print your confirmation.

Come on! You know you're at least a little bit curious :)

Scott

Reading list about Denver and the Rocky Mountain region

Members of The Rocky Mountain Chapter of SLA contributed suggestions for a reading list about the region. Our 200 members live and work in four states – Colorado, Utah, Wyoming, and South Dakota. You will find a little history, a couple of hiking guides, some great fiction and more.

This is not a comprehensive list of literature about the area - just some suggestions from our members.

You will find the list on our conference wiki at: Books about Colorado, Wyoming, Utah and South Dakota

Hope you enjoy reading about our "neighborhood".

Kathleen Rainwater
Local Arrangements Chair
Denver SLA2007

Get Connected Before the Conference

There are several ways that you can stay informed, involved, and connected even before arriving to Denver! Check out the SLA 2007 wiki for information on travel accomodations, restaurant recommendations, entertainment, faqs and more.

Also, keep connected through this blog! Sign up to receive email alerts when new postings are added to the Rocky Mountain Chapter of SLA Blog. There is a conference listserve as well that you can register for. The list e-mail address is sla2007@lists.sla.org.

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We look forward to connecting with you before, during, and after the SLA 2007 conference in Denver, CO.

Christy Confetti Higgins

Rocky Mountain "Hi!" and Welcome to Denver!

SLA's Rocky Mountain Chapter is excited to be hosting the 2007 SLA Conference in Denver. We're a small chapter, but we're mighty! Our 200 members live and work in four states -- Wyoming, South Dakota, Utah and Colorado. There are so many interesting things to do and places to visit in our area that making choices can be difficult. We've built this wiki to answer your questions and help you choose what you want to do, from punting on Cherry Creek to visiting the newly expanded art museum to touring Rocky Mountain National Park.

We're looking forward to seeing you!

Scott Brown, RMSLA President
Ty Webb, RMSLA Past-President and Co-Chair SLA's 2007 Conference Committee