By Mandy Lee (Follow us on LinkedIn)
We hurried toward one another, arms outstretched. Although we had met in person only once before, nearly a year previously, at the American Association of Law Libraries (AALL) conference in Denver, our reunion was one of old friends. Jenny Silbiger greeted me, Hawaiian-style, with a fresh orchid lei which I wore around my neck for the rest of the day, a symbol not just of my host’s aloha spirit but also of the warmth of the law librarian community.
State Law Librarian of Hawaii, Jenny accompanied me on a guided tour of the Hawaii Judiciary Center, then showed me around the State Law Library.
Amid the eye-poppingly gorgeous scenery of the Hawaiian Islands, the meetup was the highlight of my trip.
In the Big Apple a month earlier, I had dined, on multiple occasions, with three law librarians, two of whom I had also met for the first time in person in Denver.
For me, the most meaningful aspect of travel is interacting with local people, and/or people whom I know. Sure, there are sights to be seen, but I can, to some extent, see sights online, at home, from the vantage point of my couch.
Some of the most fun that I have all year takes place during the AALL Annual Meeting and Conference, where I have the good fortune to see old friends and make new ones.
Wherever I go on my next vacation, I know I can always meet up with a law librarian.
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Notes Between Us (NBU) is a blog about conversations and topics of interest to the writers. The writers are expressing their personal opinions solely. The essays represent their personal beliefs and not those of their workplaces or any organization they are associated with.