Comments on: Me. Talking. At CIL2006.

By: Kate

Kate — Thu, 16 Mar 2006 15:38:22 +0000

Don’t worry, most Vermont librarians are somewhat younger and a lot less mean than I am, and rotten tomatoes aren’t in season. Anyway, you know stuff we want to know, so I’m pretty sure we’ll be civil.

By: Meredith

Meredith — Tue, 28 Feb 2006 18:20:40 +0000

It’s just a 15 minute talk, but I’m sure I’ll end up answering questions as well, so I may be there longer.

Thanks everyone for your encouragement. With such a nice bunch of people at CIL, I’m sure it’ll go well (or that you’ll be forgiving if it doesn’t!). Not like those mean old Vermont librarians. They bring rotten tomatoes to conferences, ya know.

By: Jill Hurst-Wahl

Jill Hurst-Wahl — Tue, 28 Feb 2006 15:39:25 +0000

How long will you be talking? (Need to know if I’ll have to duck out of a session.) There is a Coffee Break at 2:30, so hopefully you’ll still be attracting a crowd then!

BTW we’re in the final countdown to the conference. It’ll be here quickly than we think. And are we ready?!

By: Nicole

Nicole — Mon, 27 Feb 2006 19:01:39 +0000

Congrats Meredith! I agree with Greg, you did great for the OPAL presentation, I’ll mark my schedule to come see you.

By: Alane

Alane — Mon, 27 Feb 2006 17:52:52 +0000

Meredith, truly it is more challenging to give a 15 minute talk than a one hour one. I can easily go on (and on and on) for 90 minutes with almost no notes but always find the shorter talks demand seriously sticking to a script otherwise my tendency to wander off on tangents is uncontrolled. And I too still get butterflies before any talk–it’s good to because that adrenaline comes across as energy and engagement. Good speakers not only know their topics; they can project their enthusiasm as well. Remember, you were asked to talk because you know your topic, and know it better than most people listening. And having met you, I can say that if you talk to your audience the same way you talked to me, you’ll be fabu

By: Laura

Laura — Fri, 24 Feb 2006 02:04:28 +0000

Sadly, I shall not be there to witness your brilliance, but I am sure you will demonstrate it. I started to get over my anxiety about speaking when I started speaking to people who wanted to hear what I had to say–which, as Dorothea noted, is going to be the kind of people you’ll get.

Best wishes!

By: Scot Herrick

Scot Herrick — Thu, 23 Feb 2006 06:04:47 +0000

Congratulations! It is always surprising to be picked to speak, but here’s the deal – your writing about stuff that is a little bleeding edge for your audience and conference organizers are always looking for the bleeding edge to attract attendees.

Make sure you define what a wiki is and make doubly sure you explain why it is important to have one to the people in the audience. What it will do for them. Or what part they would play as part of a tech package or tech approach to helping your patrons.

It’s not about the technology. It’s about what the technology will do for them to make their life easier better for their clients.

Nice going.

By: Elsa

Elsa — Wed, 22 Feb 2006 19:53:06 +0000

You’ll be great Meredith. See you there!

By: Roy Tennant

Roy Tennant — Wed, 22 Feb 2006 17:33:02 +0000

Michael’s right that the more you do it the more relaxed you get. Preparation and knowing your topic also help. Have something to fall back on — notes, PowerPoint, whatever your crutch might be, have it. I’ve seen few people who can simply stand up and deliver a talk from nothing or next to nothing (Clifford Lynch with his few notes scribbled on a cocktail napkin comes to mind). The rest of us need help.

In the end, the point is to not let your fears get the best of you, as it’s clear you won’t. Keep at it, and before you know it you’ll be a pro. But even now I can get nervous when speaking in front of people I know.

By: Dorothea Salo

Dorothea Salo — Wed, 22 Feb 2006 15:04:02 +0000

You’d spend fifteen minutes talking to me about wikis, right?

So all you’re doing is spending fifteen minutes talking about wikis to people like me. Not so scary.

I’ll be there. Unless I forget. I start forgetting things about midway through the second day of a three-day conference. If I forget — it’s not you, it’s me.