No. Neither did I. My question is to anyone out there how do library professionals afford to go to Internet Librarian this year. The cost this year is over £500.00 for a two day conference. Obviously, the event has some great speakers, but is this show just for managers? Is there no way there could be some places at a reduced rate for 'ordinary' librarians? I have been to library mash ups and these have not been prohibitively expensive. Though on the new website Owen Stephens does point out:-
The venue and catering are probably the main costs associated with hosting an event. If you are inviting people to speak you may need to cover their expenses (or even pay speaking fees, although the first three events haven't had speakers who charge to speak). The main ways of covering the costs are through sponsorship, and through a fee for the event. Costs can be kept down considerably by getting a venue for free - which is often an option at Universities.
So, my question is this. Is anyone going? And if you don't mind me asking, how did you get your company to agree?
2 comments:
I've been to Internet Librarian a few times - although I guess most recently I would have fallen into the 'manager' category - but I've also been lucky enough to work for Universities who can generally afford to send at least one person to such an event.
Having recently become an independent contractor I don't have the luxury of someone covering attendance fees this year, and at the moment I'm not sure that I'm going to earn enough to cover the fees from my own pocket, so my only option for attending was to speak, as ILI waive the fee for speakers. So I put in a proposal, and luckily was accepted.
Given your point, it is perhaps ironic that I'm speaking on the ethos of 'mashed library' events/community and will partially cover how this type of approch can provide a mechanism for lower costs events
Owen, thanks for the response.
I've been to some mash up events and appreciate the free time you and others put into them.
I know Internet Librarian is not a charity,but it just seems a helluva lot of money to fork out for these tickets. And with most academic and public libraries having to make cut backs, I just wonder if people can afford to go in the future.
I;ll just have to follow via twitter ;)
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