If you can believe it, this week we’re celebrating the 10th anniversary of SpringyCamp. Our first ever virtual user conference was a 1/2-day event limited to just 100 attendees held in the summer of 2012. And in the last 10 years, we’ve come a long way, reaching thousands of attendees from around the world. And, one milestone we’re super proud of - one of the first ever SpringyCamp presenters back in 2012, Michelle Lustig, who will also be celebrating 10 years of being a Springy this year, having spent the last several as the SpringyCamp Master of Ceremonies and organizer! Talk about full circle!
For those of you who’ve never attended SpringyCamp and have no idea what we’re talking about or for those of you who haven’t attended in a few years, we’re going to give our top five reasons for why you should attend SpringyCamp. This year, and all the years going forward.
First, What is SpringyCamp?
SpringyCamp is Springshare’s 100% virtual user conference where you can hear real-world stories of how librarians from around the world, (literally, we’ve had guest speakers from Australia, England, Canada, China, and more), share how they’re using Springshare tools in innovative and interesting ways. From ways they’ve redesigned their LibGuides system to meet their user experience needs to ways they’re using LibWizard for ‘Escape Room’ experiences at the library. The entire virtual conference is by users, for users.
Now that we’ve what covered what SpringyCamp is - let’s chat about why you should attend!
Top Five Reasons Why You Should Attend SpringyCamp
Believe us, there's plenty more than just five reasons!
1. It's Free - Yup, 100% Completely Free
Not only is our conference completely free to our users - we even offer fun giveaways and surprises to attendees! This year, we’re doing a virtual Scavenger Hunt, SpringyCamp Bingo, Spooky Campfire Stories, and more. So not only can you learn cool stuff, you get to play games, and win prizes like the highly coveted SpringyCamp Official Socks!
2. No Travel - Attend SpringyCamp in your PJs
... as long as your boss says its okay! 🙂 We know everyone is feeling Zoom-fatigue these days and missing f2f conferences, but for anyone who’s traveled recently - that’s no picnic either. From flight cancelations and delays, to lost luggage, to the very real fear of catching COVID-19, attending a virtual conference sure has its perks.
3. Connect with Users
The Springshare community is filled with over 5,000 institutions from around the world and 100,000+ users. Attending SpringyCamp gives you access to users who are using Springshare tools in some of the most interesting and innovative ways. All presentations will have a Live Q&A! After the live session, keep the conversation going in the Springshare Lounge, where you’ll find discussion threads for each of the presentations.
4. You Can Still Attend 'Camp Even If You Can't Attend 'Camp
We get it, you can't be everywhere at once. From work or personal commitments, vacation plans, or just time zone mismatching - you might not be able to attend SpringyCamp, even if you want to.
Have no fear, we always record SpringyCamp and make it available after the program. Want to be notified via email when the recording is available? Register here. Plus, this year's SpringyCamp is spread across two separate dates, so if the Day One timing doesn't work for you - but Day Two does - be sure to sign-up!
5. No FOMO
We might be biased, but we think SpringyCamp is the event of the year. And you don't want to miss out on that right? Eliminate your fear of missing out and be sure to join us at this year's SpringyCamp - our 10th anniversary event is going to be amazing! If you're on Twitter, be sure to live-tweet the event using #SpringyCamp and tag us @Springshare.
