TRIPLL, AMPLL and Beyond: My Experiences as an Attendee and Council Member
By Holly M. Riccio, Library/Calendar Manager
O’Melveny & Myers LLP
I must admit, when the most recent Advanced Management for Private Law Libraries (AMPLL) conference was over, I was a bit depressed. Don’t get me wrong—the conference itself was a great experience—and the other law librarians I got to know were so interesting and full of great ideas and insight. The reason I was sad was that I have now been an attendee and a council member of both AMPLL and its sister conference, Teaching Research in Private Law Libraries (TRIPLL). I have completed the hat trick of LexisNexis professional development programs, so to speak. I even half-joked that LexisNexis has to come up with another program and acronym so I can have this experience once again.
I never would have thought, when I first attended TRIPLL as a very new Reference Librarian working at a law firm in New York City, that I would end up being on the council of TRIPLL or AMPLL one day. I was just so honored and excited to have been selected to go. Of course, I was scared, too, since at the time I attended TRIPLL, all attendees had to put together a 3 minute legal research presentation on a topic (including a handout) and be prepared to give the presentation and be videotaped doing so on the first day of the conference. I was cleaning out some boxes a few years ago and found the copy of this presentation and played it. Let me just say that I was not the greatest presenter back then. OK, it was downright bad. I do remember watching our tapes back, in small groups, at the end of the conference and coming up with things that all of us could take back and use to improve our effectiveness in presentations and public speaking in general. However, to be honest, with presenting and speaking, practice really does make perfect. So, as much as my initial experience at TRIPLL was a great start, the experiences I have had being a presenter at both TRIPLL and AMPLL, and the things I have learned watching my fellow speakers, have been the best learning experiences by far.
As it turned out, my presentation for the TRIPLL conference was early in the morning of the last day of the conference. I knew I had to get the attention of the audience and be able to hold it, so I decided to do something fun and a bit crazy: I was going to make everyone juggle. Now, I didn’t really know how to juggle myself before all this, so I had to learn—and then practice and practice—in addition to working on and writing the content of my presentation. However, I realized, as I practiced juggling, that I could make the analogy that one doesn’t have to be an expert on something to be able to teach it. Once I came to that simple realization, it felt like a huge weight was lifted off me and I felt so much more relaxed and confident about my presentation, regardless of whether I was able to juggle in front of the group without dropping a ball or not. I started my presentation with a mini juggling tutorial with the attendees. Then, we all juggled, or tried to juggle, together. I think I did juggle long enough up there to gain credibility with the audience that day, but I also empowered them to teach and present with confidence.
In 1999, I was invited to apply to attend AMPLL. I had been a law librarian for some time at that point, but my management role was relatively new at that time. Once I saw the list of the attendees, I saw so many familiar names of people that I had seen post on listservs or that had written articles I had read. I was excited to be attending the conference and learn from all of the speakers, but beyond that, I couldn’t wait to talk to and network with the other attendees. Some of the best times I had took place during conversations over dinner or on walks during break times. And, when the conference was over, I had so much renewed excitement and enthusiasm for my job and what I could accomplish there, armed with all of these new ideas and skills.
As we go through life, our collective experiences build up and grow, making each successive experience we have different and unique, regardless of how similar it may look on the surface. It is for this reason that I think my experience as a council member for AMPLL this year was so special and meaningful. I had come into my own as a professional and a person. Although I am by no means a pro at public speaking, I had found my own style and voice as a presenter and felt much more comfortable in that role. I felt more relaxed being in front of a group and felt as if I had more credibility as a speaker, based on the years of professional experience I had under my belt. The process of planning the AMPLL conference with the other members of the council was a wonderful experience, as well. When it actually came time to go and the conference happened, it was even better than I could have ever imagined. The group of attendees was the best group I have ever been with at a conference. Each person was interesting as an individual—and brought so much to the table as far as professional and work experiences and ideas go. After the conference, we even started sharing ideas and asking questions of the group by e-mail. This had never happened to me after any of the other conferences, but I wish it would have. Although the e-mails eventually slowed down, the group still shares things from time to time and, when I see one of those e-mails come to my inbox, it just reminds me of the wonderful experience all over again.
I have always been grateful to LexisNexis for continuing to sponsor TRIPLL and AMPLL and keeping them going. What happens at these conferences is more than just the learning from the speakers and breakout groups during the daytime sessions. Since the attendance at the conferences is kept small and is made up of a diverse group of information professionals, there is so much opportunity to really learn from each other, informally—and make professional bonds and friendships that will last throughout one’s career. Although as a council member, I got the added benefit of practicing my presentation skills and being able to develop the curriculum for the conference and see it through to fruition, there is one thing that I got both as an attendee and a council member every time. Each time, I got to spend a few days with a small group of professionals and really get to know them, exchange and share ideas and stories, and gain a renewed excitement for my job and my profession. Whenever I get the chance, I encourage others to apply to attend either TRIPLL or AMPLL. My involvement in them over the course of my professional career has been such a great experience and has helped me to develop and come into my own as a librarian, as a speaker and presenter, as a manager and as a person. I read a quote the other day from Richard Wagner that said “…joy is not in things, it is in us.” In each experience I had, whether it be TRIPLL or AMPLL, as attendee or council member, I saw the joy in others and was able to express the joy in myself to those around me. And, when you think about it, isn’t that really what life is all about?
