by Holly Boyer, Head Editor, INALJ Virginia
(originally published 6/6/14 & last updated 6/26/14)

Your Unofficial Guide to Socializing at the ALA Annual Conference 2014

Going to Las Vegas for ALA’s Annual Conference this June? If you are, I bet you’ve been struggling to plan your schedule when there are so many amazing programs to attend (did you hear Stan Lee is speaking?!) Ruth has a great list of do’s and don’ts for you first (or more) timers.

I’m a big proponent of socializing at conferences. Don’t get me wrong, I love attending the sessions and learning new things and seeing what great things librarians around the world are doing. But socializing gives you a chance to know individual people, to network in ways that you just can’t while sitting in a banquet chair in an auditorium. Below I’ve listed a variety of social events, many of which can be found on the ALA Annual Conference Scheduler. Also check out the Networking Uncommons. There is usually something interesting going on, and if not, you can always charge all your devices.

Pick an event and go to it. Most of them are free. Some of them are during the day if you’re not a party person. Go forth and find your people.

And if you know of any other social events happening at #ALAAC14, let us know in the comments or tweet @inaljva!

Many of these events can be found on @efindley‘s #partyhard Google Map!!!

Friday, June 27

• 10:30am-2:30pm Tour of the Innovative Zappos Headquarters and the Downtown Project Hosted by Asian Pacific American Librarians Association (APALA) @ Flamingo

• 2:30-4PM CraftCon in the Networking Uncommons (bring your own craft)

• 3-4pm Library and Information Technology Association (LITA) Open House @ Las Vegas Convention Center S224

• 3-4pm Reference & User Services Association (RUSA) 101: Network, Get Oriented, Get Involved @ Las Vegas Convention Center S222

• 5-7pm Government Documents Roundtable (GODORT) Happy Hour @ Margaritaville

• 5:30-7:30 pm The ACRL EBSS (Education, Behavioral and Social Sciences Section) Social @ The Pub, Monte Carlo

• 6-11pm  REFORMA Educational Foundation 3^rd Denim and Diamonds Gala @ Fiesta Hall

• 7-8:30pm Independent School Section Social @ Serendipity 3

• 7-9pm Association of College and Research Libraries (ACRL) Anthropology and Sociology Section (ANSS) Social

• 7-9:30pm Association for Library Collections and Technical Services (ALCTS) 101 @ Las Vegas Hotel Pavilion 10

• 7:30-10pm ALAPlay @ Caesars Palace Florentine

• 10pm – 3am Urban Librarians Unite ALA Dance Party @ Vince Neil’s Tatuado Eat Drink Party in Circus Circus Las Vegas Hotel & Casino

Saturday, June 28

• 8:30-10am Reference & User Services Association (RUSA) Reference Services Section (RSS)Open House and All-Committee Meeting @ Flamingo Laughlin II

• 10-11:30am   Celebrating 35 Years of AILA  @ Flamingo  Carson City II

• 11:30am-12:30pm Intellectual Freedom Round Table Reception @ Las Vegas Hotel Conference Room 08

• 12-1pm CraftCon in the Networking Uncommons (bring your own craft)

• 4:30-5:30pm Informal Meet-up for Academic Librarians Interested in Library Marketing and Outreach @ Las Vegas Convention Center N230

• 4:30-5:30pm Library Communicators’ Network @ Las Vegas Hotel Conference Room 09

• 4:30-6:30pm Library Leadership & Management Association (LLAMA) Mentoring Program Open House @ LLAMA President’s Suite

• 4:30-6:30pm  American Indian Youth Literature Awards @ Flamingo Laughlin III

• 5-7pm Young Adult Library Services Association (YALSA) Happy Hour @ Peppermill Restaurant & Lounge

• 5:30-7pm ACRL Distance Learning Section/University Libraries Section Social @ Grill 55 Wine Room, Renaissance Las Vegas Hotel

• 5:30-7:30pm Will Eisner Graphic Novel Grant Celebration @ Caesars Palace Milano II

• 5:30-8:30pm Asian Pacific American Librarians Association (APALA) Literature Awards Banquet  @ KJ’s Dim Sum & Seafood Restaurant

• 6-9:30pm International Latino Book Awards @ Clark County Library Theater, 1401 E. Flamingo Rd, Las Vegas

• 5:45-7pm Association of Specialized and Cooperative Library Agencies (ASCLA)/(COSLA) Reception and Awards @ Las Vegas Hotel Pavilion 04

• 6-7:30pm Soiree (ACRL Instruction Section)

• 6-8:30pm ACRL Women & Gender Studies Section Social

• 7-9pm Social Responsibilities Round Table (SRRT) Membership Meeting/Dinner @ Bahama Breeze Island Grill

• 7-9pm Second Annual Tumblarian ALA Meetup   @ Frankie’s Tiki Room

• 9pm – 2am ALA14 After Hours Party co-hosted by EveryLibrary, Mango Languages, and Treehouse @The Arts Factory

• 9:30pm Book release party for The Librarian Stereotype  @ The Arts Factory

Sunday, June 29

• 1-3pm REFORMA 2014 Pura Belpré Celebración and Award Ceremony @ Caesars Palace Octavius 01-04

• 5-7pm LearnRT Happy Hour @ Las Vegas Hotel Pool/Cabana Bar

• 5:30-7:30pm The Laugh’s On Us! @ Paris Versailles Ballroom

• 5:30-8pm Library and Information Technology Association (LITA) Happy Hour @ Treasure Island Hotel & Casion Kahunaville

• 6-8pm Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual & Transgender Round Table (GLBTRT) Social

• 6:30-10pm Chinese American Librarians Association Annual Awards Banquet   @ KJ Dm Sum & Seafood Restaurant

• 6:30-7:30pm Library Leadership & Management Association (LLAMA) Happy Hour @ Bahama Breeze

• 6:30-7:30pm New Members Round Table (NMRT) Student Reception @ Las Vegas Hotel Ballroom G

• 7pm-???  ALA Beer Crawl! hosted by @laurabrarian & @jacobsberg Pour24 @ NY-NY & onward #alaac14beer

• 7:30-8:30pm New Members Round Table (NMRT) Awards Reception @ Las Vegas Hotel Ballroom G

• 8-9:30pm Noche de Cuentos @ Enterprise Library 25 E. Shelbourne Ave.

• 8:30pm-???  QUE(E)RY @ Pheonix Bar and Lounge

Monday, June 30

• 3:30-5:00pm  INALJ Informal Meetup @  at the ALA Meetup Spot at the Las Vegas Convention Center

•  5:30pm The Library Games

• 6pm   Hack Library School’s Hack ALA ’14: Round-Up and Meet-Up! @ Firefly

• 8-11pm Librarians Build Communities Casino Social @ the Laguna Champagne Bar on The Palazzo casino floor