GSLIS community, I have to admit something: I was terrified for SAA. ?My anxiety over the conference triggered nightmares… About what to wear of all things! ?And yet, when I got there, I realized how silly I had been. ?Sure, there is some importance in dressing appropriately or ensuring that one?s business cards have your website, but I had forgotten that SAA is a huge nerd fest. ?When you sit in on sessions or section meetings, you feel a rush of excitement that other people care about the same things; will talk to you for over an hour about training practices for future archivists; and will laugh over the same awesome archives jokes that no one outside of the field gets. (http://archiwhat.wordpress.com/2007/04/08/saa-and-nickelodeon?s-tv-land-unveil-joint-campaign/) The image attached to this link was shared at the Museum Archives section meeting by Jessica Gambling in her talk about LACMA?s archival program. ?(She borrowed it from the blog Archiwhat? amazing, yeah?) 

SAA?s annual meeting is the archivist version of comic-con, though it took a while for me to realize this. ?I sat in on my first session, ?Give Me Your Tired, Your Poor, Your Huddled Masses:? Documenting the History of U.S. Immigration through Records in the National Archives.? ?I dutifully took notes and thought of questions; asked said questions; and received a, ?well, that?s a great question, but I?m not certain of the answer nor where you should look.? ?Needless to say, I was a bit uncertain about how the rest of my day would pan out. ?(Don?t worry. ?Not everyone you approach is like this.)

Then, guys, oh my goodness, I sat in a session that changed my life! ?The session was titled, ?Genuine Encounter, Authentic Relationships: Archival Covenant and Professional Self-Understanding.? Finally, I thought, theory! ?Philosophizing the system of exchange between the archivist and user! ?I?m not going to ruin your excitement over hearing such a session took place by trying to explain it. ?It was incredible, and I urge you to look out for the session?s papers, which will be published in SAA?s 75th Anniversary issue of the American Archivist (out around mid-November).

Despite my early anxiety, flight issues, and an extra few days in Chicago, there isn?t much I would change about my first SAA. ?The conversations were stimulating, and everyone was filled with such enthusiasm. ?Sure, I could have attended another section meeting, stayed a bit longer at the Simmons Mixer, and could have spoken to loads more people. ?It?s hard to rectify when things aren?t perfect, but I?ve learned, from the great group of people I went to SAA with, that you have to look to the things that went well. ?So, I tell myself that its okay that I didn?t attend everything because I was exhausted, and, most importantly, as socially awkward as I am, I congratulated myself on approaching and networking as much as I had.

I hope you all consider going to SAA next year. ?(Yay for my home state of California! ?And yay for SAA to choosing a place with wonderful beaches, weather, and the best California burritos around!) ?It is intimidating, but there is a great network of Simmons students and faculty that help you get through it.

The end!

– Jasmine