ALA Cognotes Midwinter San Diego Preview Issue - (Page 12)

Page 12 • Cognotes 2011 Midwinter Meeting a real impact on their products and services. Although you may think of them as “just salespeople,” exhibiting companies place great value on attendees’ views, comments and reactions. Relationships built between an exhibitor and attendee serve as a guide and can often times have a profound effect on an exhibiting company’s direction. SAN DIEGO Visiting the Exhibits » from page 1 some from around the world) prepare for these events months in advance hoping to meet with their clients faceto-face, to introduce new ideas and solicit feedback. In fact, these companies run the gamut of library needs, from consulting services to outdoor sculptures. 2011 Midwin Meet with vendors face to face. Evaluate new products and materials. The exhibit floor highlights a wonderful variety of new things to see, hear and try. Booths in the exhibit hall are filled with pre-press editions, prototypes and “sneak peeks” at technology products: all kinds of attractions that can make a tangible improvement in the life of your library. Along with established vendors in the areas of technology and publishing, new pavilions are popping up that highlight graphic novels and, most recently, electronic games. The show truly provides a “glimpse into the future” of libraries by revealing new products and ideas years before they are embraced by the community and become essential. (Remember the unbelievable introduction of “wireless” networks?) If you want to be well informed and leave with firsthand new product knowledge, you’ve come to the right place. Ask questions and provide product feedback. The vendor reps on the exhibit floor are there – first and foremost — to help librarians fulfill their mission — and they are not all sales people. Senior executives, decision-makers, and product designers from the company are often available to provide librarians direct access and a forum for their issues. An exhibitor’s booth is the best place to take advantage of this access to ask detailed questions, discuss pricing or make appointments for after the conference. And many of the “sales people” who are there are often former professional librarians who fully understand the challenges libraries face and are prepared to address with their expertise, experience and knowledge. They are a valuable resource waiting to help overcome the hurdles organizations face daily. Tap into this available pool of consultants and put their products or systems to work! Let them provide alternatives that will make your visit to the conference more beneficial than you ever thought possible. Attendees at the 2010 Midwinter Meeting in Boston enjoy the activity on the Exhibits floor. The Exhibits open Friday, January 7 at 5:30 p.m. in San Diego, with show hours continuing Saturday, Sunday and Monday during the Midwinter meeting. Enjoy events and refreshments! Feedback is critically important to exhibitors so they can meet the needs of libraries more effectively. The dialog that occurs between the customer and supplier at a conference leads to new product development and existing product improvement. No matter your role in the library, you can provide significant insight about the best applications of what exhibitors have to offer. Vendors rely upon conference attendees as an immediate source of on-site market research and it has Compare vendors and consult your peers. With so many vendors in attendance, the exhibit floor is where you can do product research and make side-by-side comparisons. With so many colleagues and friends walking the aisles, there’s always a chance to solicit opinions and ask for recommendations. After all, the exhibit floor is more than a platform for vendors. You can catch up with an array of ALA interest groups and their representatives that have “set up shop” in the aisles. The Midwinter Meeting has always been a forum for the exchange of innovative ideas, best practices, and professional development. The exhibits meet all of these criteria with cutting-edge presentations, by sponsoring worldclass speakers and featuring bestselling authors. The exhibit floor is open over four days and the representatives are available by appointment or as an attendee walks up. The diverse collection of companies (with their specific product or technological experience) provides many “subject-matter experts” ready to assist. Outside of the meeting and seminar rooms, exhibits are the hub of the conference—designed to draw attendees in with poster sessions, book signings, refreshments and giveaways. It is the crossroads at the center of conference — a great place to start or end a day, see and be seen, win a raffle or enjoy an exhibitor’s hospitality. The exhibits are an important part of the overall conference experience and are a continuing education opportunity that should not be missed. Grab Some SWAG. “SWAG” is one of the terms used to describe all of the fun little items you get from exhibitors to remind you of their product. It’s a derivative of a British term for “booty” but has come to mean Stuff We All Get. (There are other names, like “tchotchkes”, but who can ever spell that right?) Experienced attendees know that exhibitors bring plenty of free products for the attendees and their libraries at home. They prepare themselves with large bags to collect books, posters, CDs, and other items essential to their library’s operation. Whether it’s a coffee mug or cool little gadget, these items are often useful either for yourself or as a great bribe for your peers who couldn’t make it to the conference. How Can You Afford NOT Visiting The Exhibits? No doubt about it — the exhibits provide a stimulating environment that encourages interaction, discussion and learning, and just plain fun. Best yet — and unknown to most attendees — exhibitor participation actually reduces the cost of the conference by more than half! Conference fees paid by exhibitors subsidize the costs for auditoriums, meeting and seminar rooms and other venues. Additionally, library vendors sponsor many of the seminars, provide honoraria to speakers and authors, and subsidize functions that make these events so beneficial. Still concerned with bright lights, commotion, and football fields of space? The most efficient attendees will list their needs or the vendors they wish to visit before arriving at the meeting, writing down company names and/or booth numbers. Others stroll through the hall, taking in all of the exhibits and noting which ones they will return to for an in-depth visit. Either way, by planning ahead, you can maximize the value exhibits offer your conference experience. Don’t miss out! BOOTH 1649 CLICK HERE TO REGISTER http://www.brainfuse.com http://www.ala.org/ala/conferencesevents/upcoming/midwinter/index.cfm

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of ALA Cognotes Midwinter San Diego Preview Issue

ALA Cognotes Midwinter San Diego Preview Issue
Ted Danson to be Featured During President's Program
Spend a Special Afternoon with Neil Gaiman and Nancy Pearl
Visiting the Exhibits - A "Must Do" for a Complete Meeting Experience
ALA/ERT Booklist Author Forum Kicks Off Midwinter January 7
Sunrise Speaker Series Returns
See the ALA Store on the Exhibit Floor
Rhodes to Present 12th Annual Arthur Curley Memorial Lecture
Learn to Lead a Great Discussion
ALA Mobile Connects at Midwinter
Exhibits Open Friday, January 7
ALA Midwinter Meeting Exhibits
Wrap-Up - Rev-Up!
PopTop Stage/Library Product Spotlight
Spotlight on Adult Literature
ALA JobLIST Placement Center Open January 8-9

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