Leveraging the Federal Depository Library (FDL) Conference to provide pathways for exploring government resources and expanding professional presentation skills

When is a conference more than just a conference? Can the FDL Conference be a platform for more than connecting with colleagues and researching government documents? Librarians from The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley Acquisitions and Collection Development and Special Collections and Archives explore how the FDL conference might serve as a gateway to promoting government resources and building communication and presentation skills. Our goal is to think beyond the traditional approaches to conference participation as a space to connect, and showcase knowledge, and to consider how the conference might serve as a unique platform for library paraprofessional staff to contribute, an opportunity to establish new partnerships with faculty and students, leverage engagement with other community members, and develop alternative ways to promote government resources