Last year I attended AASLH for the first time in Birmingham, AL.  And I absolutely loved the experience – so much that I jumped at the chance to help with a session this year in St. Paul, MN.

Here are a few tips for you first time attendees:

  1.  Take care where you sit!  Join a half full table and jump into the conversation instead of sitting by yourself.  Use the old standby “Is this seat taken?” as an ice breaker.
  2.  Don’t forget your phone cord!  Other things to bring with you include a pen and paper, a stack of business cards for networking and a sweater for the conference rooms.  Oh and ladies, skip the heels!  You will thank me later.
  3.  If you have a free session – try something completely different than your current collection – learn about case studies in another area of the country or a tool you haven’t used before.
  4.  Attending with a close colleague?  Break up and go your separate ways for the sessions – that way you double your session notes and you can regroup back at the office with lots to talk about.
  5.  Don’t forget to SMILE!  You could be back at your desk swamped in paperwork.

Credit: IBM ARCHIVES, Computer History Museum, Catalog No: 102649709