The Conference As a Continuing Education OpportunityToo often, library staff are sent off to confere ces under the generic budget line item of “staff development.” However, if viewed from the perspective of the continuing education trainer, the professional conference can serve as a means by which library staff glean more continuing education in a few days than possible in numerous half-day workshops over the course of some months. A national conference may offer a plethora of papers, presentations, hands-on skill workshops, philosophical arguments over issues, and, not an inconsiderable expenditure of time, meetings with library vendors. There are many reasons for attending a conference and approaching it as a continuing education activity. However, “two of the best reasons for attending a conference or seminar have nothing to do with the topic or formal sessions.”1