Conference Resources

Credits & Clock Hours

Antioch University Seattle (AUS) is a Professional Educator Standards Board (PESB)-approved provider and is offering to process clock hours for professional activities of this conference. Clock Hours are for Washington educators who want to earn continuing education toward renewal of their teaching certificates. Conference attendees must:

• register at the beginning of the conference for clock hours,
• pay a $15 flat fee per day for each day that attendees request clock hours,
• complete and sign the required forms received at the Clock Hours registration table,
• document each conference day attended including the preconference day and submit totaled hours at the end of conference.

The AUS processing fee must be paid by cash, check, or credit card. In the event that required paperwork is not submitted, there will be no refunds of the processing fee. Click here for FAQs.

Know Before You Go

For useful info, reminders, and tips for making the most of your conference experience, read through this "Know Before You Go" document.

Making Your Case to Attend

The following tips and tricks for making your case to attend a conference are courtesy of the American Library Association.

Making the case for time off, support, and travel and expenses to attend a conference requires a solid understanding of the potential benefits to your institution, supervisor, and colleagues. You need to be able to communicate those benefits clearly—especially if your company is experiencing tight budgets and/or reduced staff. Use the following information to help "make your case."

• Familiarize yourself with the points in “Why you'll be more valuable to your library after the conference.”
  
• Tally your potential costs, demonstrating how much you can save if you register and book travel and housing early.
• Study any preliminary information about the program. Identify preconference workshops, sessions, and events that you believe can help you be more productive and efficient.
• Share any preliminary program information with your colleagues. Let those who might not be able to attend know that your attending can benefit them. Inform them of the type of information that you can bring back to help them, and which sessions you can attend on their behalf.
• Share program information with your supervisor. List the sessions and programs that you think will be of greatest benefit to your workplace.
• Review the topic-specific preconferences and institutes. Are any especially applicable to you and your workplace? 
• Draft a plan listing how essential tasks will be handled while you're away. Include how, if necessary, technology can easily keep you accessible.
• Draft a plan noting that when you return to the office, you’ll share action items and fresh ideas learned at the conference (e.g., notes from speaker presentations and discussion groups, knowledgeable vendors you spoke with, best practices, contacts you made through networking, etc.) with the rest of the staff.
• Inform your supervisor that you can focus on implementing one new idea that will pay back many times over the investment of time and money spent to attend.
• Put your request in writing. Feel free to adapt this sample memo for the ALA Annual Conference.