Mary Kay Trainings vs. Library Conferences

(Pictures to come tomorrow!)


I recently returned from the Iowa Library Association conference where a coworker and I did a presentation about how Ames Public Library takes early literacy storytimes to daycares and preschools. While I was there, I pondered the similarities and differences between this conference and the trainings that I went to when I was a Mary Kay consultant. I found this fascinating; hopefully, you will at least find it mildly interesting.

(Disclaimer--I loved being a consultant and I love being a librarian, and I love my fellow-mostly-women in both professions, despite fun-poking that ensues below.)

1. Break time: consultants go to the bathroom to fix their makeup. Librarians don't even wear makeup (I am so serious about this--I wore some on my presentation day, but I was definitely in the minority), so at break time librarians go outside and find a place far away from all the noise and people. If you happen to walk by "their spot," you might get looked at with a librarian look.

2. Dress: consultants wear "uniforms"--black or red jacket, black skirt, closed toe shoes, hose, or director's suit. Librarians: a handful of us wore suits--some directors, my boss (she says she can't wear nice suits with short skirts for storytimes so this is her chance)--and I wore a pantsuit the day of my presentation. Most people were wearing business casual, and quite a number wore tennis shoes. Ever the practical ones.

3. Flair: This surprised me. At Mary Kay meetings, it's all about the flair: the pins and whatnot that show off how successful you've been, or at least how much product you've bought. Library conferences are not so different. When we got our nametags, we were given ribbons to stick on them based on various achievements--committee member, ILA member, ALA member, presenter, etc. Those who had given lots of money got special lanyards. Although I thought it was a bit silly, I admit to feeling proud of my "presenter" ribbon and a bit piqued that they didn't give me the ALA member ribbon I deserved. We all like recognition.

4. Evening entertainment: I found out how old I am the second night of the conference. I was sitting with a group of women who were older than I, waiting for the Storytellers Group to come tell us bedtime stories. Then the young, hip, twenty-something librarians swooped through, including my newest coworker, so I asked what they were doing. Board games in room 732! she cried! Come join us! And I realized that I would have lots and lots of fun playing board games in room 732, but I would never get to sleep after that. And since I'm old now, sleep trumps fun. :( Which is also why I quit going to weekly MK meetings--the bright lights, loud music, all the energy intended to motivate us--all conspired to ensure I never got a good night's sleep on MK nights. What do old MK consultants do? I don't think there's a Bedtime Storytellers' Group in MK.

5. Food: I opted for vegetarian meals at ILA, which was a great choice. I like meat in moderation, but at conferences they always give you a slab of meat that covers the whole plate. Not my style. This way I had room for dessert--cheesecake, tiramisu, apple pie.... I wasn't in MK long enough to get a feel for the food culture, although I went to a few meetings at Panera and a couple at mom and pop restaurants with lots of meat and cobblers.

So there it is, my decidedly unscientific ramblings about the Iowa Library Association conference and how it compared with my Mary Kay experience. Hope you were amused!