Tuesday, March 29, 2016
9:00-10:30am

Facilitators:

Julia Cleaver, Ipas
Sarah Burns, Pathfinder International
Alli Buehler, Ipas

This opening session was designed to allow conference attendees to get to know their colleagues better, connect with new members and long-time friends, and to discover common ground and sources of support from within the APLIC network.

Alli led us in a networking activity that allowed us to cycle through small group conversations based upon what we wanted to be asked by our peers.  We chose from questions ranging from, “Ask me about my biggest success this year” to “Ask me about my favorite website.”  Julia and Sarah then led the group in a give-and-get activity: each of us was encouraged to think about an area in which we were looking for more information or support.  All of our Asks  were posted around the room, and as we walked around the space, reading one another’s requests, we were able to write responses to those requests–how we might help, whether we were also interested in this topic.  Julia and Sarah planned to re-distribute these to us at the end of the conference.

As we looked at the areas of highest need among our participants, we noticed some themes, and possible topics for APLIC Lunch and Learn discussions this year:

• Citation management software
• Pluses and minuses of different software tools
• Tips and tricks for webinar platforms; use of Google Hangout
• Photo and video archiving and access
• Downsizing of library spaces – implications for our work
• Tools to share information in the field