Committee Day!! Hoo-ha!!

One of the best things about today was I didn’t have any obligations until the afternoon, so I got up late, had brunch at Oro, and then walked around San Antonio taking pictures for my iPhoto collection. A ton of people were doing the same thing, particularly air force and navy personnel who were walking around in uniform and taking in the sights. Regrettably, the weather was rainy and cooler (in the high 50s/low 60s) but I was in my new Talbots suit and didn’t need a jacket. This was in high contrast to the Texas natives and visiting southerners who were bundled up like a blizzard was coming in. I even saw a parka! People are silly.

Anyhoo, I got over the convention center, scoped out the all-committee meeting room, and spent more time talking to vendors and getting free pens. Funny story (actually it’s terrfying) – I decided to go to the Baker and Taylor booth to see there new ordering softward demoed and I had carefully researched this because of my deep seated fear of the cat mascots who they always have being photographed by people (yech…shiver). Well, there were plenty of public librarians in the audience who were asking boring questions (for me who didn’t deal with branches, etc.) and it was extending the demo. A lot. And you had to sit through the entire demo to get the cat calendar and get entered in the DVD player raffle, so I felt I had committed myself to being there. But out of the corner of my eye, I saw what looked like a serial killer clad in an old carpet and I knew they were here. The cat killers. Dammit! I put my hand up to my temple as if I was getting a headache (which wasn’t far from the truth), but in actuality I was shielding my gaze so I couldn’t see them (although I had begun shaking, so much so that the woman next to said, “It is drafty, isn’t it?”). I finally had to leave the demonstration (hello, an hour is WAY too long!) but I sidled up to one of the reps and asked some questions about getting a free trial to the software (you have to pay for it) and having our area representative call us. I got my calendar and filled out the form for the DVD player raffle and scurried away all the while keeping the “cats” out of my sightline. It wasn’t easy, but luckily the walk to my committee room was lengthy, so I had time to compose myself before I got there.

The all-committee room is a really nice brand of chaos, with probably 50 tables with signs that display the committee name and people with tote bags crowded around them animatedly discussing issues. I found mine quickly and Michelle (the chair of the NBPTS Special committee) is just as professional, cheerful, and fun as her emails led me to believe! We have a great group of people from state reps, library science professors, and field level practitioners like me and I heard lots of great information and advice about ways I can contribute to my profession. We talked over a bunch of great ideas and I can’t wait to throw myself into really helping the committee!

We agreed to meet for dinner at the Republic of Texas restaurant with members of the SIG group for NBPTS (another example of Michelle’s excellent leadership) and since I had time to kill, I did another exhibit hall foray and then walked up and down the Riverwalk for a couple miles. What a beautiful area! I think the thing I liked best was that it wasn’t just tourists at the shops and restaurants – people who obviously lived in the city were there and older people, families with small children, and teens were all making great use of this wonderful space. The food was great at the restaurant and the people who came were wonderful to listen to – really fascinating (and funny) so I learned a great deal while being charmingly entertained.

I got back to the hotel around 8:30 and wondered why I was so tired until I realized that my body felt like it was 10:30. I’m becoming such an old woman! What happened to all those all nighters in college when I wouldn’t even feel it the next day. Ah, youth.