How to successfully navigate your 1st MLA

You cannot see and do it all and you don’t need to.

To learn the most about MLA attend the business meeting, open forum, and presidential address.

Before MLA:

• Pack an ample supply of business cards
• Sign up for a mentor/colleague connection
• Sign up and go to the first timer’s breakfast
• check the weather to help with wardrobe planning and remember meeting spaces are usually chilly bring layers
• Participants seem to be dressing more casually in recent years when they are not presenting 
• bring small bills for tips and to for your share of any group meals

Practice self-care:

• Pace yourself so you don’t wear yourself out
• Hydrate
• Have a healthy snack on you
• Leave yourself plenty of downtime and opportunities for casual conversation

Social Connections:

• Introduce yourself to at least one person at every event you go to
• Attend at least one poster session for great ideas and networking
• Library School Reunion is a smaller get together and very casual

Scheduling and Social Media:

• Use the program planner & the App
• Follow #mlanet19 on Twitter
• What to tip? (see more at Forbes.com)

Tips for Service:

• For bellhops and airport baggage handlers, $2 per bag; give more for great service or very heavy bags.
• $2–$5 to doormen for hailing cabs (extra in bad weather) or helping with bags.
• $3–$5 per night for housekeeping staff (extra for upscale hotels or if you left your room particularly messy)—and tip daily, not at the end of your stay, since employees change from one day to the next.
• 15%–20% for taxi, Uber, or Lyft drivers; more if drivers help you with luggage and are great drivers!

More tips: https://www.mlanet.org/page/first-timer-tips

Official MLA’19 Twitter Correspondents  

Adela Justice      @chicalibrarian

Beth Moreton   @emoreton47

Allison Piazza     @medlibAEP

Danielle Aloia     @LibrarianWalker

Alice Jaggers      @AJaggers324

Peace Ossom-Williamson @123POW

Charlene Finley @Cee_Finley

Laura Menard    @LMLibrarian

Rachael Lebo @ralebo06

Sarah Clarke @sarahclarke138

Cecelia Vetter   @Librarian5ever

Elena Azadbakht @elenaazad

Tara Brigham     @TBrigham

Aidy Weeks @wonderbrarian

Kelsa Bartley @ItsKelsaB

Chelsea Misquith @chelseamisquith

Niki Kirkpatrick @NikiTheLib