Arbana Frasheri Gjoca – Rutgers Law Library
I would like to thank the New Jersey Law Library Association for allowing me the opportunity to attend this year’s edition of the American Association of Law Library Annual Meeting in Seattle, Washington. I have really benefited greatly from attending this event because it has allowed me to create many important contacts, which will certainly benefit my position, as well as preparing me for any future conferences which I will be attending. My overall knowledge of the ever-changing landscape of law libraries has certainly been supplemented by this experience.
Due to the abundant number of seminars, meetings and workshops offered, I was able to partake in courses which were heavily related to my everyday work. The most beneficial aspect was the ability to stay on the cutting edge of whichever law library field you might work in. There were many courses that I had an interest in but was unable to do so because of time constrictions. Such work related courses as “Linked Data: The New Bibliographic Framework in the Post-MARC World” and “HeinOnline” programs were very educative because they allowed me to stay current and up to date on all technical and technological changes. The ability to share information and ideas with others employed in similar lines of work reinforced the importance of the seminars. The exhibit hall was the place where I experienced the latest technologies tools and services from the top companies in our field.
The other major reason that others and myself attend such conferences is the practice of networking. As I mentioned before, the sharing of practical solutions and technical planning are beneficial for all. Creating personal and professional relationships allows one to expand their knowledge base, improved personal skills, and generally raise one’s personal level of work efficiency. The combination of talks from nationally known leaders of their profession with peer-to-peer discussions really maximizes the effectiveness of such an event.
On the second day we were fortunate to have the chance to listen to the Opening General Session featuring keynote speaker David Weinberger who presented “Libraries as Platforms.” His particular outlook was very refreshing and really drove the discussions for the following two days. Along with the keynote speech, there were many other such enlightening speakers throughout the seminars and courses.
Overall, the experience of attending this conference was more than positive. The personal and professional contacts along with the knowledge gained mad it a trip well worth it. Being able to visit such a beautiful city like Seattle only made the entire experience sweeter. I would thank the NJLLA again for making it possible for me to partake. This experience has given me the desire to take part in future conventions of this type.