Who am I? I'm Jill Hurst-Wahl, MLS, an information consultant located in Syracuse, NY. My web sites are at:

Hurst Associates, Ltd., www.HurstAssociates.com
Digitization 101 blog, www.Digitization101.com
eNetworking 101, www.eNetworking101.com

Why am I interested in these events? During 2007, a library unconference was held in New York City. The response to that event made me wonder if we could do an unconference in Upstate New York. That led to conversations with Penelope Klein, Nancy Howe, Jean Currie and Scott Nicholson...and lead to the events that will be held on Mar. 4 & 5 in Syracuse, NY.

Having been to many formal conferences, I know that the audience often knows much that should be shared. Having spoken at conferences, I have always been amazed at the wisdom that emerges either during or after my presentations from audience members. Speakers often learn from those that attend there sessions, just as those in the audience learn from the speakers. An unconference allows everyone to participate and share andallows the wisdom of the crowd to emerge.

What do I hope to get out of the events? I hope to learn more about what librarians, library staff members, trustees, and others are thinking about the current state and future of libraries and their collections. I hope that real actionable information will emerge from the two-days that everyone can use.

Finally, while I'm sure that formal conferences are not going away, I hope that these events will serve as a model for other events in Upstate New York.