A side note to thoughts on ALA Annual (Virtual) 2021, including stuff on not being a member

While I was writing the previous post, I decided for some strange reason to check this blog for any previous posts on ALA. I found at least three that I had written between 2005 and 2007. On rereading them I found that much of what I wrote then remains very relevant now. It resonates quite a bit now, for me at least. Here are some of those posts: 

• "ALA and membership." 12/16/2005. These were the days when there was still such as thing as a biblioblogosphere and I found that "this poor fellow who flies under the radar really, really gets to thinking about what exactly the dues do for him." 
• "My last on the membership thing, or librarians as martyrs?" 12/22/2005. My key question in that post, which nowadays I'd call one of those Magnificent Questions: ". . .why should librarians, or other social professions for that matter such as teachers and social workers, be martyrs just to practice their craft? How long do we let others inflict that guilt-trip on us, which is nothing more than excuse to continue exploiting those of a generous nature?"
• "Participation blues, or how many more have to be lost?" 11/13/2007.  Who would have guessed a small bit I wrote then could be prophetic? Keep in mind, these posts are all way before the pandemic. I wrote then: "And it usually boils down to this: Participating in ALA is cost prohibitive; it is pretty much limited to the few who can afford it; it would be nice if they did more things virtually." Imagine that, be nice if they did more things virtually. We have come a bit further along on that front, and the pandemic certainly proved a lot of things can easily be done virtually if there is a will. In the end, well, ALA and such "already lost me. Not that I am a big loss (or a loss of any kind, haha)."

Additionally, while I ran the searches in the blog for posts on ALA, I found other posts on small state conferences I have attended as well as other semi-related topics. I was trying to write up my thoughts on ALA Annual Conference (Virtual) 2021, and I find myself seeing topics I could update or write something new given my experiences over time. I've learned a few things. I've also learned not to give a crap about other things, things that back then as a newish librarian felt like a big deal only to discover they were not, but that may be another post for another time.