Yes, there will be fantastic programs, networking opportunities, after-hours fun, but let’s be real here – you have to eat!  And you’d like to eat well, right?

Well, let me just say, if you are registered for a luncheon, you will certainly eat well.

The President’s Inaugural Luncheon on Tuesday features a death by chocolate jumbo cupcake. Do you really need to know more? Our incoming President, Michael Maziekien, will share with us his slogan and vision for the coming year and the luncheon is a great opportunity for networking, catching up with colleagues, etc. (And deathbychocolatejumbocupcake!!!)

Don’t worry, the Wednesday luncheons will contain an equally delicious dessert (and chicken and veggies and salad, of course). The CUS luncheon will feature speaker Emily Drabinski (I’m sure you read all about her in our previous post) and the keynote at the Garden State Book Awards luncheon is author Justina Ireland.

If you decided to attend the Feast on This luncheon, you’ll have a yummy three course buffet lunch – at a discounted rate – plus time to chat with friends, make connections, relax. There will be coloring, Legos, puzzles and other activities including a short film called Miss Bula Banerjee.

Wait! You registered for conference, but forgot to buy a ticket to one (or more) of the luncheons? No need to worry! You can add a luncheon ticket by contacting the NJLA office (njla-office@njla.org) or you can buy tickets on-site at the registration desk when you pick up your badge! Really!

If luncheons aren’t your thing, there are several brown-bag lunches available to you this year – on Tuesday, Reader’s Advisory is bringing back their popular Under the Radar Reads which will feature book trivia and lightning book talks; CSS and YA are adding a new brown bag lunch to our line-up that will feature an informal discussion about what the section members are doing this year.

On Wednesday, Emerging Technologies and Member Services are hosting a Cryptoparty Brown Bag Lunch - they’ll be talking Tor, Signal, and PGP-signing. Administration and Management and Member Services are sponsoring NJ’s Funniest Library Patron Interactions Brown Bag Lunch at AC Burger Company. I think the name says it all!

If you’re wondering where to pick up a sandwich or find an alternative place for lunch, we’ve got a blog post for that (coming very soon – we’re just verifying operating hours first!). But there are numerous options on-site at Harrah’s. You will not go hungry, you can be certain!

See you soon in AC!

Kimberly Paone and the 2016-2017 Conference Committee