In 2010, I wrote an article regarding the construction of a new central public library in my hometown of Cedar Rapids, IA, arguing that the role of the traditional library should be re-examined. I suggested the mission of the facility should be shifted away from the warehousing process (as books were going digital) to the vital process of management and presentation of knowledge. I argued that the ‘place’ would be an essential provider of stimulation and inspiration, not just access, and that the focus of the library should no longer be to create a place for the mere storage of information; it should be to create a place for people to interact with information.

As I think about the TCA International Convention, I believe the same ideas hold true. At this moment, when information is effortlessly at our fingertips, the idea that one would come to a convention simply to learn new information is selling the event short. They could read an article, watch a video or attend a webinar. Why do they need to book a flight, travel halfway across the country and stay in a hotel for two nights just to listen to a few seminars?

The TCA International Convention affords attendees an entirely different experience, the opportunity to discover and engage information in a way that is not possible through technology. As the material becomes more and more accessible and interaction continues to be online, the convention plays a vital role in bringing our industry together to learn and discuss. The face-to-face interaction builds stronger relationships, deeper understanding and greater awareness of the issues and opportunities present in our industry. Like the library, convention establishes an expanded perception of being part of a larger collective body.

Sheri Olson, in her review of the Seattle Central Library, pointed out that the library offers “something reality TV shows, IM technologies, and Internet chat rooms can only mimic: actual social exchange in real time and space.”