Conference report #2

And now a report from a virtual conference attendee, Michele Fricke.


My impressions of SLA 2010 Annual Conference Virtual Component

Being at a conference and interacting with one’s peers can not be replicated; however I am now convinced “being there” virtually is an effective alternative. I thank you for the opportunity to participate in the SLA Annual Conference as a virtual attendee.

It was an engaging adventure to interact with other virtual participants by chat, along with the tweets, real time presentations and audience participation happening all at once. This gave the experience much more relevance and meaning than just downloading an audio or video recording after the event.

Having superb tech assistance was appreciated since this was my first journey into a virtual world. Virtual participants walked around the rooms, clapped for the presenters, and had a final dance at the end of the Closing General Session. As an online University of Washington MLIS student, I’ve worked with other students and instructors through virtual meeting rooms and similar communication tools. Wonderful collaborations can be accomplished with these tools and the virtual conference environment proved to be just as effective.

There were a few minor technological glitches that were quickly solved by the tech facilitators. Spending so much concentrated time “at the conference” while being engaged in my regular life posed a few interruptions, but overall it was a very positive experience.

Patrick Lamb outlined how the knowledge management profession is changing. He discussed the various knowledge archetypes and associated competencies as a way to prevent lagging behind the sliding scale of real time. The perspectives of the Competitive Intelligence experts were interesting. Nicholas Carr gave some great insight with what the internet is doing to our brains. He advocates for awareness and balance rather than radically departing from the technologies that engulf society today.

I hope the virtual conference experience was as positive for the other 101 attendees as it was for me so that future conferences will offer the virtual component with more presentations and meetings with diverse topic choices. I look forward to meeting many SLA members as I become more involved in this chapter.

-Michele McKinnon Fricke


Thank you Michele! It sounds like the virtual conference was a very worthwhile experience.

Stay tuned, we have more reports on the way.

-Robin