WAPL CONFERENCE

Congratulations to Maggie Waggoner and her Conference Committee for doing an excellent job in organizing this year's WAPL Spring Conference! The site selection was very good. If I have any complaint at all regarding the Plaza Hotel & Suites is that they serve too much food. At each meal they presented a mountain of delicious fare on my plate, more than I could and should eat. Once I got the lay of the land I was able to find the meeting rooms. The selection of programs was good. Once again, I had to make difficult choices when intriguing presentations were scheduled at the same time.

Keynote speaker, Keith Curry Lance, presented a ton of information regarding obtaining statistics and research regarding libraries. This can be of use both in planning efficient operation of your library as well as documentation for demonstrating the value of your library to your community.

One of the sessions I attended was quite exciting. This was the WHAT'S NEW UNDER THE DOME session of Library Legislative Issues. The State Joint Finance Committee was meeting at the same time and Richard Grobschmidt kept receiving phone calls relaying the lastest voting information coming out of the Committee. Unanimous votes accepting two of the governor's proposals generated excitement, applause and cheers from our group. The timing could not have been better.

I was pleased to have Michael Golrick, the Director of the host L.E. Phillips Memorial Public Library attend the session I was speaking at. Eau Claire has a huge, very dynamic Friends group that Golrick was very proud of. Attendence was a bit slim at my session, but I was competing with Victoria Houston in my time slot. I would have liked to hear her talk too!

Per usual, I learned as much over meals and in casual conversation as I did at the programs. Much of the time the subjects were far over my head and I tried to keep quiet so I didn't display how stupid I was. But I met a large number of very interesting folks and renewed acquaintenances with many more.

The WAPL president, Mr. Ken Hall summed it up well at the luncheon closing the conference when he said "As your president I say ... Mission Accomplished!"