I attended the 2014 Electronic Resources and Libraries (ER&L) conference in Austin, TX. If you are interested in this niche area of the profession, then this is the conference to attend. Digital, Online and Electronic Resource Librarians discussed the trends and challenges of managing e-Resources and data.

Attending the conference gave me a chance to learn about the core culture and values of my future colleagues. Although the conference did not have a subtheme, "Librarians as change agents, collaborators and leaders," whirls in my head each time I think about this event. Electronic Resource Librarians are looking for ways to solve e-Resource management problems in their libraries, collaborate with other librarians and share their successes and challenges. There are Techniques for Electronic Resource Management (TERMS), which are evolving as the demand for e-Resources continues.

There was a day of user experience (UX) events to facilitate user design processes, but librarians seem to have an innate grasp of user experience. During their presentations many of them talked about how they are addressing e-Resource issues within their departmental team and across other areas of their libraries. A few of the presentations with question and answer sessions inspired a research topic I hope to pursue this summer.

The other 2014 Taylor and Francis Student Award Winner and I received a warm welcome from everyone we met and were able to connect with librarians at every level from career entry to Directors. A few of them took the time to get to know us over lunch and dinner. This is where I was able to learn about upcoming internships and a distance practicum that will enhance my skills in e-Resources next summer.

It was nice to meet my future colleagues in a casual atmosphere where I had no idea what their role was initially, until I connected with them. Several librarians provided me with cards and asked me to keep in touch. Of course, I asked for cards, too. But, having a Library Director ask you to stay in touch is worth gold in our profession.

The most important take away is that conferences and association meetings are a vital tool for developing a network of colleagues, identifying library roles that interest you, and allows you to gain advice from your future colleagues on what skills you need and how to build or enhance them. Longstanding friendships and mentee roles can be a natural extension of making connections at these types of events, as long as you periodically continue the conversation long after the conference ends.

Think about attending next year's conference from February 22 - 24, 2015 in Austin, Texas. The 2015 Taylor and Francis Student Travel Award can make it happen for you. Look out for the student travel application in the next few months. Don't have the travel time in you plans then consider the 2015 ER&L Online Conference next year. I hope to see you there virtually or in-person.