Saturday morning at the library – 15 minutes past opening – already hot outside and the phone has not yet rang. Not a normal situation but I take the opportunity to look at my work email. One message catches my eye - IOLUG Fall Meeting: ...Digital Natives & Immigrants... from INpublib listserv. Well, I discussed being a Digital Immigrant in one of my mid-semester’s reflections just last week.

After opening the email I find:
Register TODAY for the Indiana Online Users Group (IOLUG) Fall Program: Friday, November 2, 2007

Are you curious about Facebook, Second Life, Flickr and other newer social networking technologies, but aren't quite sure how to use them in your own library?

Then please join IOLUG for our Fall Program about Reaching Digital Natives and Immigrants: Library 2.0. There will be great speakers with practical experience teaching their staff and patrons about these exciting new technologies. And, check out the Library Science Fair. You’ll leave with more confidence to “Try this at home!”

Friday, November 2, 9:00-3:30 - Plainfield-Guilford Township Public Library

The price ($25 members, $45 non-members) is good for an all day seminar. Possibly I’ll see what my coordinator thinks and check the vacation calendar to anticipate scheduling issues. Then I wonder who is going to be speaking so I follow the link (http://www.iolug.org/2007fall.php) included at the bottom of the email.

SURPRISE! SURPRISE! – The keynote speaker is . . .
Mary Alice Ball, a professor at the Indiana University School of Library and Information Science at IUPUI. Professor Ball presently teaches a course on Library 2.0 technologies. It is my professor! I am not expecting this. It is weird, just like when you see your doctor at the grocery store. You forget they have their own lives.

Now I am in a quandary. Is this material I am going to be interested in or what? I read further and recognize some other names: Scott Pfitzinger, Bill Helling. I am tempted but then I stop. If I go to this seminar, because notices of employees’ attendance at training events are posted in the monthly board reports, it will be public knowledge. Then coworkers will expect me to proficient in all these tools. Is this really what I want?

So I delve deeper - What is exactly is IOLUG? According to their website’s FAQ, IOLUG (Indiana Online Users Group), founded in 1982, is an organization established for the purpose of furthering the use of online systems, databases, computers and telecommunication systems in libraries.

1982 is a long time ago and a galaxy far, far away from libraries of today or is it? I am getting confused but I know having computer access for patrons is a BIG draw for my library’s patrons. Also I have found in the past that you should never pass up an opportunity for training as you never know what you might learn.

SO to go and network with people who share common interests or retreat to the safety of non-responsibility, that is the question.

The solution: I’ll see if I can get any other coworkers to go with me. Plainfield is only 45 minutes away. It will be attractive as long as I play up the “Road Trip” side of it. Another idea! If I blog about it, maybe one of my classmates might attend also. I can see potential for bonus points in class participation.