This article is more than 5 years old.

I wanted to post just a few closing thoughts on my first ALA Midwinter. First, for me, the smaller format of meetings and discussion groups gave me the time to meet people and learn amount various committees. Spending time at a variety of LITA events while assisting with WebEx programs and serving on a committee gave me a chance to engage in a way that I had not felt possible at the ALA annual meetings I’ve attended. At the LITA Town Hall Meeting on Monday I was in a group, led by Jason Griffey, that discussed LITA’s role in Technology Instruction. It was a fascinating conversation that improved my understanding of LITA. Susan has been incredible in helping me get more involved with LITA and Roz, Mary Beth, Carolyn, Lauren and everyone else from ZSR helped me navigate my first Midwinter. While I’m sure some of these meetings could have occurred in an online format, for me, this smaller more focused event really helped me get more engaged. And, as Mary Beth mentioned, I won the ZSR Library a free year of the new database “Gay and Lesbian Thought and Culture” from Alexander Street Press!