ALA’s New Members Round Table held its traditional conference All-Committee (a.k.a. “Big Tent”) Meeting in the Arctic Room of the Sheraton World Resort on Sunday, June 27, 2004, from 1:00-3:00 p.m. The All-Conference Committee gives NMRT members and prospective members an opportunity to go from table-to-table to see the various committees hard at work, discussing plans for the coming months and also evaluating projects that are at varying stages of completion.

This informal meeting time for committees was presided over by President Beth Kraemer.
When asked about “Big Tent” Meetings, Kraemer responded, “The thing I think is so cool about the All-Committee Meeting is that outgoing committee members and incoming members get to talk about the projects of NMRT and brainstorm together. It's a great opportunity to get to know other NMRT members, in a casual ‘open house’ sort of environment.”

Approximately 50-60 people were in attendance. Some committees stayed longer to work than others did, but every committee was permitted space and adequate time to get together, to simply catch up with each other, if nothing else.

“For many people the All-Committee – or ‘Big Tent’ – Meeting is the first chance to meet face to face. You can put a face to the name that you have been working with all year. It is also the chance to talk with other committees and Supervising Board Members. It is definitely the meeting to attend if you are active in NMRT or desire to be,” said Sally Gibson of the event.

And what about those people who aren’t active in NMRT? Gibson responded, “For people who are not active on a NMRT committee, the All-Committee Meeting is a chance to sit in on the various meetings and find out what the committees have been working on and see if any of the committees sound appealing. It is an opportunity to see how NMRT works and determine if you want to get involved, and to what extent.”