‘Attending IFLA was Amazing’: Benefits of Conference Attendance as Reported by Delegates

Abstract

A large amount of time and resources is spent every year in the library and information science (LIS) sector in Australia to organise, fund and attend conferences. However, the possible benefits of conference attendance for librarians have not been a focus of research in the field. This article, reporting on the findings of a pilot study conducted in the context of a PhD research project, addresses this gap and analyses conference attendance benefits as reported by librarians who attended a specific international conference. The findings of this study link directly to issues and themes that are relevant to all library sectors in Australia. Implications for best practice• Highlights the benefits of conference attendance for library staff across all sectors.• Offers evidence for library staff seeking to secure organisational support to attend large international conferences, such as IFLA. • Informs library managers of the importance of conferences as a professional development tool, which can be used in requests for financial support from their parent bodies. • Discusses conference attendance as a means for libraries to remain relevant and innovative. • Provides a better understanding of the topic and outlines the need for further research in the area.

Librarians’ Attitudes, Needs, and Barriers to Participating in International Conferences: A Survey of ALA Members

“…Harker (2009), learned through their research that international conferences allow participants to get an outsider's perspective, and spark enthusiasm that leads to a later change in practice. Besides the informational impact (such as getting new information and ideas) and social impact (such as networking), Dumbell (2017Dumbell ( , 2019 emphasized the affective impact and significant emotional benefits of conference attendance, such as feeling inspired, energized, motivated, grateful, valued, confident, and affirmation of meaningful work and belonging to a greater library community. Barry and Garcia-Febo (2012) discussed the multiculturalism of IFLA conferences and mentioned that new professionals benefited from being exposed to different views through interaction with colleagues from other cultures, religions, and library sectors.…”

Training needs of medical librarians in Nigeria: A survey

“…She, however, acknowledged that conferences can be expensive. Dumbbell (2017) highlighted that some benefits of conference attendance for library staff across all sectors include knowledge acquisition and networking with other professionals.…”

It's Great up North: maximising the learning and development opportunities provided by organising and attending a regional event

“…All other meetings took place virtually, which kept costs and time commitments to a minimum. Participants were not charged for attendance as lack of access to funding is frequently reported as one of the biggest barriers to event participation (Dumbell, 2017). Costs were met from the Healthcare Libraries Unit budget for continuing professional development and by obtaining sponsorship from some of the exhibitors.…”