By Julia Roberts, 2019 CONELL Attendee, Thurgood Marshall State Law Library

Some of our newer LLAM members were able to attend the 50^th annual Conference of Newer Law Librarians (CONELL), which was held July 13^th as part of AALL’s annual conference in Washington, D.C.

The morning session included a hot breakfast and an opportunity to hear AALL President Femi Cadmus and newly elected Executive Board members share their advice about law librarianship. It was an easygoing, open atmosphere, with conversation ranging from tips on dealing with imposter syndrome to guidance on how to cultivate leadership skills in non-supervisory roles.

A brief speed networking session allowed attendees to learn more about each other and identify connections and friendly faces for the rest of the conference. A “Marketplace” session provided the opportunity to speak with representatives from Special Interest Sections and interest groups and learn about the work they do. Attendees were highly encouraged to join and participate.

After sharing lunch, attendees boarded tour buses for a relaxing and informative afternoon tour of the city, complete with a stop at the Lincoln Memorial.

CONELL is a great way to meet law librarians from all over the country who are experiencing many of the same challenges and uncertainties as they begin their careers in the field.