The MLA offers more ways than ever to stay on top of the latest convention information—the Program is available in print, Web, and mobile versions; MLA Commons features two groups for attendees; we’ll continue to post resources and reflections on this blog; and informal conversations are already under way on Twitter using the #mla14 hashtag. Whether this is your first convention or you’ve been attending for years, there are a number of things you can do to ensure you don’t miss any of the details.
- Join a convention group on MLA Commons. Two groups—2014 MLA Convention and First-Time Convention Attendees—will help you navigate the convention, connect with colleagues, and keep up with the latest information.
- Annotate the online Program. Did you know you can add information to your session’s entry in the online Program? Log in to mla.org, find your session in the online Program, add information to the text box below the Program entry, and click Update Annotation. The annotation will be publicly visible. This is a great way to add links to supplementary materials, such as a blog or Web site that you and your copresenters have created. (Note that annotations are not visible in the mobile version of the Program.)
- Share your presentation materials. If you’re presenting, we hope you’re already planning to bring large-print handouts to your session. Why not make those materials available online as well? Join the 2014 MLA Convention group on the Commons and upload your handouts as a file or post the text in the Forum. If you have your own blog, either on the Commons or elsewhere, link to it from the Forum so it’s easier for fellow convention goers to find. Make sure to include the session-specific Twitter hashtag (“#s” plus the session number [e.g., #s471]), and annotate the online Program to include a link to the materials.
- Know where to find the information you need. If you’re looking for general information and aren’t sure where to find it, check the 2014 Convention Information and Services page. Maps and floor plans are available in the Convention Guide (PDF), as well as in the mobile Program. For the latest updates, make sure to pick up a copy of the Convention Daily each of the first three days; there, you’ll find special notices, changes in schedule, and brief reports on convention activities. (Copies of the Convention Guide and the Convention Daily are available free at the MLA registration and welcome centers.)
- Give Twitter a try. Not sure where to start? Guest contributors Roopika Risam and Ernesto Priego share their tips in two recent posts.
No matter which resources you choose, we hope that they help you make the most of your time in Chicago. As the convention progresses, please consider providing feedback for the sessions you attend by clicking the Session Survey button at the bottom of each session page in the online Program. Your input helps shape future conventions.
